Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin today urged the Centre to expedite supply of 90 lakh Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccines maintain the herd immunity among the susceptible cattle population.
In a Demi-Official letter to Union Minister of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries Parshottam Rupala, he said there is an urgent requirement for FMD vaccine in Tamil Nadu.
He said timely availability of vaccines is essential to maintain herd immunity among the susceptible cattle population and to prevent the occurrence of FMD and subsequent economic loss to the farmers.
“The State vaccinated the eligible cattle at six months intervals from 2011 till 2019. The vaccines cater to approximately 94 lakh cattle and buffaloes in Tamil Nadu”, he added.
Stalin said under the National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP) for FMD, rolled out in February 2020, 87.03 lakh eligible cattle and buffaloes were vaccinated against FMD with the supply of vaccine doses from the Union Government.
Stating that even during the previous round of vaccination in September 2021 the supply of vaccine doses was staggered, the Chief Minister said “Tamil Nadu could complete the vaccination only in six months due to this staggered supply, which is not in line with the FMD vaccination protocol.”
“The next round of FMD vaccination in Tamil Nadu is due in September 2022 and the State has constantly been requesting the Government of India to supply 90 lakh vaccines in a single instalment since June 2022. But we are still waiting to receive the vaccine doses”, Stalin said.
“Therefore, I request your intervention to expedite the supply of FMD vaccine to Tamil Nadu so that the outbreak of FMD and consequent economic hardship to the farmers can be averted”, the Chief Minister said.
