Srinagar, April, 29: Given the frightening situation arising out of the increased compromise on food security by Kashmiri society by bringing cultivable land under commercial activities like building malls, shopping complexes, and residential colonies the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon,  Saturday urged the veterinarians to rise to the occasion and rededicate themselves to the cause of people and help promote livestock production and productivity with the twin objective of maintaining food security and preventing flight of capital on account of import of livestock and livestock products.
 Complementing the vets on the eve of World Veterinary Day function organised by J&K Veterinary officers’ Association at Nageen Club, Dr Asgar said that we need to go for commercialization of dairy industry as the production levels had reached respectable levels of over 18.50 lakh MT annually in the state out of which over 11.32 lakh MT came from Kashmir division.
 He said similar work needed to be done in mutton and poultry production.
 In his over one and half hour long presentation on the role of vets in the society, Dr Samoon identified some new areas for vets to work on. He added that it was pity that hundreds of vets were unemployed in the state even as the Himalayan state offers a huge potential for livestock production and allied activities. Dr Samoon counselled the unemployed vets to set up production and value-addition units to support them-selves and others. He referred to his overseas experience about the role played by vets in the economies of nations and countries in the West. He said that for a sustainable livestock industry it was necessary to go for value addition. He dwelt at length on poultry and sheep industry laying emphasis on setting up of poultry processing and slaughter houses across the state.
 Earlier Dr G M Rather, Secretary of the association welcomed the guests and Dr Syed Zamir Andrabi, Dy Director, AH Department made a presentation on Anti Microbial Resistance. Dr Masood Hussain Chesti, former Dy Director (Research) at IAH&BP, Zakura also made a presentation on AMR and methods to check it. Dr Muneer Qazi speaking on the occasion laid stress on fighting the dreaded zoonotic disease Rabies.  Dr Sheikh Muhammad Saleem, former president of JKVDA, who was a guest of honour on the occasion was earlier warmly received and felicitated by colleagues.
  Dr F A Kaloo, Director, Animal Husbandry Department Kashmir called for self-introspection by every member of the profession so that necessary corrections could be made in the approach to various issues confronting the profession particularly the AMR. He appealed the people in general and the civil society in particular to see that the practice of self medication particularly with the antibiotics by individuals was avoided. He urged the poultry farmers to desist from using medicines and drugs indiscriminately on their flocks and counselled them to rely on technical advice of experts only. He also pointed to the problem of dog menace which he said could be neutralised effectively by better garbage disposal particularly that of food leftovers and offal. He added that 40% to 45% of the poultry was going to the food chain of dogs thereby resulting in proliferation with improved fertility an fecundity. He also referred to the avoidable wastage of food on auspicious occasions like marriages which keeps the dog population increasing.
  The association president Dr Kaisar Makhdoomi introduced the retiring and retired vets who had made significant contribution to the development of livestock to the chief guest Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon. The officers were felicitated on the occasion and presented with mementoes. Those who were felicitated included Drs Akhtar Andrabi, Masood Chesti, A A Reshi, Javaid Ahmad khan, K A Zargar, Rafeeq Ahmad Naqashbandi, M Sultan Dar, Ab Rashid, Farooq A Peer, N A Badoo.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 29 Apr 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 29 Apr 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 IST