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World Veterinary Association News
Commonwealth Veterinary
Association - Tsunami Disaster Report
Jan 09, 2005 - 12:59
PM
Report on the meeting of the
Secretary, Commonwealth
Veterinary Association with the Chairman, Blue Cross of India.
The Secretary, Commonwealth Veterinary
Association (CVA) Dr. S. Abdul Rahman had a meeting with Dr. S. Chinny Krishna,
Chairman, Blue Cross of India on Friday, 7th January 2005 at Chennai, Tamil
Nadu. Dr. K.S. Palaniswamy, Former Professor and Head, Dept. of Epidemiology
and Microbiology and Director of Research, Madras Veterinary College, Tamil
Nadu University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (TANUVAS), attended the
meeting on the invitation of the CVA.
A detailed review was done on the effects of tsunami disaster which has
taken a heavy toll in the coastal districts of Chennai, Kancheepuram, Thiruvallur,
Cuddalore, Villupuram, Nagapattinam, Kanniyakumari, Pudukottai, Thanjavur,
Tiruvarur, Ramnathapuram, Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts. Nagapattinam
is the worst affected district in Tamil Nadu with special details to the actual
work being undertaken by various Animal Welfare NGOs right from the first
day of the disaster and the constraints being experienced by the field force.
The causalities are in the form of:
a. animal and owners have been displaced
b. animals have been abandoned as the owners are in relief camps
c. animals are orphaned as the owners have perished
d. large grazing areas has been destroyed
e. large quantity of waste such as plastic and non-consumable items have
been washed ashore and has become a source of danger to the hungry animals
when they eat it.
f. sources of drinking water have either being contaminated or have been
rendered salty due to inundation of sea water.
The Department of Animal Husbandry, Government of Tamil Nadu has started
operating animal camps in the following places.
i. Thirumullaivasal
ii. Poompuhar
iii. Tharangambadi
iv. Thandampadi
v. Velankanni
vi. Vilunthamavadi
vii. Pushbavanam
The review indicated that the relief measured being undertaken on an urgent
need basis to alleviate the suffering of animals rather than a cohesive organised
and coordinated effect. Different Animal Welfare Organisations some of them
from outside Tamil Nadu were also working in the areas without the knowledge
of those organisations such as Blue Cross, the main body which is spearheading
the relief efforts.
There seems to be no unified central command made of up different organisations
such as the Government, Civic Authorities, the Department of Veterinary
Services, NGOs, etc. Priority being given to human suffering, the already
overburdened Civic Authorities are not too sympathetic to take any action
or help the animal welfare programmes.
In view of the above, it was decided that a central body –Tsunami Animal
Relief Task Force be created with its headquarters at Chennai. This Task
Force will be led by Chairman, Blue Cross of India, Dr. S. Chinny Krishna
and the Secretary of CVA, Dr. S. Abdul Rahman as one of its members. Under
this Task Force, other allied organisations such as TANUVAS, Animal Welfare
Board of India, Department of Veterinary Services, Government of Tamil Nadu
and other NGOs such as Friendicoes and Wildlife S.O.S who are already in
the field will be the other members.
The following actions were highlighted and prioritised for action by the
Task Force.
1. Short-term and Immediate Measures
a. Provision of urgently needed pure drinking water for animals.
b. Fodder in the form of grass, hay, etc. and concentrates be provided.
c. Urgently needed medicines and surgical accessories in the form of antibiotics,
antiseptics, disinfectants, anthelmintics, analgesics, surgical bandages,
gauze, disposable syringes, gloves, etc. be sought from donor agencies.
An exhaustive list would be prepared by Dr. S. Yathiraj, Prof. of Medicine,
Bangalore Veterinary College and submitted to the Secretary, CVA by the 10
January 2005.
d. The field force has been requested to obtain data of affected animals
from the villages which are being covered. This is needed to ascertain the
potential of possible future disease outbreaks and to counteract them.
e. Recruitment of retired veterinary livestock inspectors/veterinarians
from the respective areas for relief work in the area on payment of an honorarium.
f. Local and International aid to be sought by way of funds, medicines,
vaccines and equipment. Dr. S. Abdul Rahman will coordinate this aid-drive.
g. It was decided that all financial transactions will be routed through
Blue Cross of India with its account in Chennai. The following are the details
of the account including the swift code for foreign transactions.
Swift Code No. of Indian Bank, Guindy, Chennai 600 032
IDIBINBBGDY Blue Cross of India SB A/c No. 18745 FCRA No. 075900586
h. All contributions obtained through the CVA and this Task Force will
be separately accounted from the general Blue Cross Funds.
2. Long-term Measures
a. Anticipating disease outbreaks in the near future, it was decided to
stock vaccines of such important diseases as Haemorrhagic septicaemia, Anthrax,
Botulism and Blue Tongue.
b. Prof. Palaniswamy will prepare the list of vaccines which would be needed
keeping mind the serotypes available in India.
c. Dr. Chinny Krishna will liaise with Government of India (Dept. of Agriculture)
for necessary permissions to import vaccines which would be donated by foreign
agencies.
d. Prof. Palaniswamy will identify the local agencies which are producing
the vaccines and alert them to the possible quantities needed in the near
future.
e. A long-term project on rehabilitation of displaced farmers and fishermen
would be undertaken with a joint collaboration of TANUVAS and CVA.
f. A similar project on the effects of this tsunami disaster on ecological
misbalance in the area will also be undertaken.
g. Involvement of TANUVAS in fish ecology and human resource management
for affected fishermen.
Periodic meetings have been scheduled to oversee the implementations of
the above and to broaden the scope of the Task Force on a need basis.
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