Kochi: A total of 4.21 lakh chicken and 4.19 lakh ducks have perished in the floods in Kerala. The combined monetary loss from the livestock alone is Rs 52.47 crore.
The state's animal husbandry department also lists loss of 4,236 cattle, 4,068 calves, 54 buffaloes, 3,297 goats, 588 pigs, 3,000 broilers, 20,000 quails, 21 rabbits and 47 pet dogs till Tuesday.
As per the data, the highest number of cattle of 1,603 have perished in Thrissur district while the highest number of chicken drowned was in Malappuram - 1.39 lakh.
Most numbers of ducks, goats and calves died in Alappuzha at 3.62 lakh, 2874 and 3472 respectively.
The loss of chicken in the district was 1.23 lakh. The count is set to go up significantly in the coming days, especially in Thrissur, Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Kottayam districts.
The rotting carcasses of these birds and animals have become a huge health hazard, and in rural places of Ernakulam district, farmers who are yet to be out of the shock of the floods, are finding it difficult to deal with them.
They say that the local bodies are not showing enough involvement in helping them deal with the issue. Decomposing bodies are making day to day life difficult while threatening spread of diseases also.
Director of the animal husbandry Dr N. N. Sasi said his department in association with the Suchitwa Mission, LSG department, Kudumbasree, health department and district administrations is dealing with the issue. “We are in the process. All should understand the flood is a calamity of unimaginable magnitude. So expecting officials alone to handle the crisis may be unfair," he told DC.
"Everybody should take the initiative and co-operate to deal with it. We plan to bury all carcasses in two-three days across the state. Shortage of space for the same is another problem.” Director of health services Dr R. L. Saritha said that a coordination meeting with animal husbandry and other departments has already been held. “We are issuing advisories also in this regard. Co-ordinated steps are taking place to prevent the outbreak of diseases,” she said. The consolidated loss of animal husbandry and dairy development department has been calculated as on Tuesday at Rs 97.23 crore.
