BUDGAM: People in Ringazbal and Kharian villages in Khan Sahib tehsil in Budgam district are bewildered at sudden deaths and illnesses in cows in their area. Residents of these villages told Kashmir Reader that many cows have fallen sick and died in the villages of some mysterious illness.
“We have approached the officers concerned regarding this illness and sudden death of the cows, and why it has happened only in our area,” they said.
Khursheed Ahmad Hajam, a resident of Kharian village, said that one of his cows fell ill after it was taken out for grazing. “We took the cow to the doctor. The doctor treated our cow but it died on Monday. In the last few days nearly seven cows have died in Ringazbal and Kharian areas,” Hajam said.
Dr Nazir Ahmad Dar, Assistant Surgeon at the Animal Husbandry department, told Kashmir Reader that nearly 9 cows have died in the area, 7 cows in Kharian and 2 in Ringazbal.
“Due to the recent rainfall, new grass has sprouted in these areas. The cows seem to have eaten some poisonous grass,” he said.
“For the last three days we are continuously visiting houses of people to do medical check-ups of their domestic animals. We found that 20 cows were facing health problems and proper treatment and medicine has been given to them on the directions of Sub-district Magistrate, Khan Sahib tehsil,” he added.
Dr Dar said that now the department is conducting a study of what kind of grass the animals could have eaten in the pastures. He said that people should avoid sending out their domestic animals for grazing to ensure their safety.

ARIF RASHID