The issue of heavy toll of sheep and goats claimed by blue tongue and foot ad mouth diseases in the State recently rocked the proceedings in the Assembly on Wednesday. The Chief Minister, YS Rajasekhara Reddy locked horns with TDP and CPI (M) members differing with them on the number of deaths, a subject raised by N.Narasimhaiah of CPI (M) during question time.
The Chief Minister said that the official figure of sheep and goats died is 2.32 lakhs contrary to the figures raised by the opposition. He rejected the demand for payment of exgratia of Rs.2000 for each sheep and goat that perished but announced that he would soon come out with a comprehensive insurance policy to cover individual sheep, goat and milch animal. If sheep population fell, they would be imported from Israel where the best breed was available. To a reply, the Animal Husbandry Minister G.Surya Rao refuted the charge saying that 194 veterinary teams were working in Mahabubnagar district alone and admitted that there was scarcity of veterinary doctors.