Closure of Yarkhun’s only veterinary centre opposed
BANG: The only veterinary centre in the whole Yarkhun valley is being closed on June 30. This has sent a shockwave in the valley where people solely depend on cattle rearing for their livelihood.
Talking to ChitralToday, social activist Hakim Babar Uddin and Abdul Nasir Khan said the centre served over 30,000 population of the area from Brep to Broghil.
They said it was a longstanding demand of the people of Yarkhun to set up a veterinary centre in the area as every year hundreds of cows, goats, sheep and other animals died of different diseases causing financial losses to the farmers.
In 2017, then MNA Shahzada Iftikharuddin managed to set up the centre at a private building in Bang village and a veterinary doctor was also appointed there.
The officials of the department had promised that if the centre was managed successfully the government would also construct a building of its own.
But now the vet doctor belonging to Lower Chitral has informed the locals that the centre is being closed on June 30.
The locals said it was unbelievable that the government would take such a step instead of strengthening the centre to help the small farmers of the remote area.
They said Prime Minister Imran Khan believed in promoting the agriculture sector and provide every possible help to farmers.
The PM’s “Backyard Poultry Initiative” launched in 2019 was also a part of his vision to help farmers.
The government’s National Agriculture Emergency Programme through Livestock Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had also got significant response from the masses.
But it seems some officials in the veterinary department are hell-bent to close the veterinary centre without the knowledge of the government.
People here demanded that the government should take action against those closing down the veterinary centre and provide more facilities at the centre.
They said teams of veterinary doctors should be sent to villages to provide treatment to sick animals such as vaccination and educate farmers about modern means of animal rearing to save the animals from different disease.
They warned that in case the centre was closed, they would start a protest move to bring the issue in the knowledge of the high-ups.
I tried to my best to provide all kind of facilities in yarkhoon valley ,, but the people of yarkhon are not cooperative and want every thing on thir table free . veterinary hospital work only in places where the staff could collect at least 10,000 rupees as chit fee, and on basis my experience it is impossible to collect 10,000 rupees from the people of yarkhoon .. so according to rules and regulation the facility must close