SHOPIAN: Livestock farmers in Shopian have accused veterinary pharmacists of cheating them, saying they are selling alternate medicine which is not prescribed by doctors.
They said that many of such pharmacists avoid the doctor’s prescription and give medicine according to their own wishes.
A dairy farmer told Kashmir Reader that when he got prescription from the doctor, the same prescription is being ignored by the veterinary medicine sellers and they give alternate drugs which are less effective or high dose.
“They call the additional medicines dousing (supplements or zyme) and sell us those that are not being written on the doctor’s prescription,” Ghulam Hassan, a farmer said.
Another farmer said that there are some self-styled veterinary pharmacists who call themselves efficient than doctors.
“I recently took the doctor’s prescription and asked for medicines – but the pharmacist replied that he is not able to read the prescription even though it was written neat and clean and he gave me medicine according to his wishes, ” Aqib Akbar, another farmer said.
Dr Munir, Chief animal husbandry officer Shopian told Kashmir Reader that his department has not received any such complaint in this regard. He advised farmers to get medicines verified by the doctors after buying them from market.
“If any such complaint comes to us, we will initiate action,” he said, adding that people must contact them in case of cheating.

Raashid Hassan