The veterinary doctors in Himachal Pradesh have urged the state government to provide them basic facilities to extend the benefits of government schemes to livestock owners in the state.

The Himachal Pradesh Veterinary Officers Association has taken up the issue with the Additional Chief Secretary, Animal Husbandry through a memorandum, requesting to call a meeting of office bearers to discuss the demands, said General Secretary of the Association, Dr Madhur Gupta.

The Association has pointed out that the Veterinary doctors are not only using their personal mobiles and internet to implement the government schemes to benefit the livestock owners, but are also being made to do online data entry, which is not their work.

“The government schemes for livestock owners are no doubt very good. But the Veterinary officers are facing difficulties in the implementation of these schemes for lack of basic facilities. The government must provide computers and internet and improve other facilities at the veterinary hospitals at sub division level for better functioning on the whole.” said Dr Madhur Gupta. He said the Association has demanded recruitment of data entry operators at the veterinary hospitals at sub division level to make it easier for the Veterinary doctors to focus on their primary job.

The Association has also called for computer training of the Veterinary pharmacists for smooth functioning, holding that the issue was taken up with the Director, Animal Husbandry earlier also, but nothing happened.

“More so, the Veterinary doctors have been giving duties in the field without any safety equipment in Covid. The department must provide them safety equipment to ensure that they are not at risk in performing their duties at the doorstep of the livestock owners,” said Dr Gupta. He said while the government offices are closed due to five-day week in Covid now, the veterinary hospitals are open even on Saturdays and the Veterinary doctors and the para staff are giving regular services.

The Association has urged the government to fill up 100 vacancies of the Veterinary Officers in the state at the earliest so that the department is able to reach out to the livestock owners effectively with all the welfare schemes.

The Association office bearers said the government must work out a solution to these problems to facilitate Veterinary doctors in the field at the earliest, as they are resentful of the indifference towards them.