Punjab minister warns action for selling veterinary medicines at higher prices

In a release here, the minister said, It has come to my notice that due to the spread of lumpy skin disease, some veterinary chemists are exploiting the livestock farmers by selling medicines, vaccines and other equipment at higher price than the fixed one. In a letter to the deputy commissioners and district deputy directors, the minister directed them to take strict legal action against such shopkeepers.He instructed the deputy directors of the department to immediately coordinate with the district administration and drug inspectors for ensuring that the sale of medicines at excessive rates stopped immediately.

Taking note of reports that veterinary medicines, vaccines and other equipment are being sold at exorbitant prices in the wake of lumpy skin disease affecting cattle, Punjab Animal Husbandry Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar on Wednesday asked chemists to desist from unfair profiteering. In a release here, the minister said, ''It has come to my notice that due to the spread of lumpy skin disease, some veterinary chemists are exploiting the livestock farmers by selling medicines, vaccines and other equipment at higher price than the fixed one.'' In a letter to the deputy commissioners and district deputy directors, the minister directed them to take strict legal action against such shopkeepers.

He instructed the deputy directors of the department to immediately coordinate with the district administration and drug inspectors for ensuring that the sale of medicines at excessive rates stopped immediately. ''If any such complaint comes to notice, immediate action as per law should be ensured,'' said the minister, adding, ''in this time of crisis, we should support the livestock farmers''. The lumpy skin disease has mainly affected cows, with Fazilka, Muktsar, Bathinda and Tarn Taran being the worst-affected districts in the state. The contagious disease spreads rapidly among animals through flies, mosquitoes and ticks.

It causes soft blister-like nodules all over the body, fever, runny nose, watery eyes, salivation, reduced milk yield and difficulty in eating. PTI CHS VSD RDK

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