BHOPAL: Congress MLAs on Thursday staged a walkout in the assembly over the deaths of buffaloes, cows and other animals in Morena district. The matter was raised as a call attention motion by BJP MLA Subedar Singh Sikarwar Rajoudha of Joura seat during the Zero Hour.
Rajoudha said that hundreds of buffaloes, cows and other animals suddenly died and the reason for the deaths could not be diagnosed by veterinarians. “In Morena district, the livelihood of people in the villages is basically from selling milk and the cost of animals is usually in lakhs of rupees. No compensation has been paid by the government for the dead animals,” the MLA said, adding, “when an animal is bitten by a snake or dies after being struck by thunder, then government considers that a natural calamity and pays compensation. However, no compensation has been paid for the sudden deaths of bovine animals in Morena.”
Replying to the call attention, revenue minister Govind Singh Rajput claimed that after animals died in Morena, a team of veterinarians and officers were sent to find the reason of their demise. It was found that the animals died of pneumonia, respiratory failure etc. The minister said that under present provisions of compensation policy, the deaths of the animals do not qualify for financial assistance. Not satisfied with minister’s reply, Congress MLAs staged a walk-out.
Congress MLA Lakhan Singh Yadav said that it is not a matter of one person’s damage or loss. Former minister Sajjan Singh Verma said, that farmers throughout the state are facing such losses because of deaths of animals. Former minister PC Sharma said, “When cows are dying in the state, should the government not make any arrangements to take care of them?”
