Chardham Yatra: Government on alert mode after confirmation of equine influenza, health check-up of horses and mules mandatory

The government is in alert mode after confirmation of equine influenza in horses and mules in Rudraprayag district. Animal Husbandry Minister Saurabh Bahuguna has held a meeting in the matter and has given instructions for mandatory health checkup of horses and mules.

The departmental minister said in a meeting held at the secretariat, equine influenza infectious disease has been confirmed in horses and mules in Veeron and Basti villages of Rudraprayag. In view of which, the department officials have been instructed that Char-Dham Yatra is proposed in the near future. In such a situation, screening of horses and mules should be done on top priority, so that diseased animals cannot participate in the journey.

Instructions to ensure availability of all necessary medicines
The departmental minister also directed that the health checkup of all horses and mules should be done at the animal disease control posts established on the borders of the state along with Rudraprayag, Tehri, Uttarkashi, Bageshwar and Chamoli districts. Apart from this, horses and mules coming from other border states during the Chardham Yatra should be compulsorily allowed to enter the state along with health test certificate and negative report of equine influenza from their districts.

The minister also directed that District Magistrate Rudraprayag will establish quarantine centers in his district to prevent the infection of this disease. Along with this, the availability of all necessary medicines for treatment will be ensured. The departmental minister said, there should be no laxity in following the instructions. Departmental action will be taken against the officers for any kind of negligence in this.