Srinagar, Aug 13 (KNO): The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has ordered the constitution of committees at the Union Territory, district and block levels for the implementation of the Livestock Health and Disease Control (LHDC) Program, with a focus on the control and management of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).
As per an order, issued by the General Administration Department (GAD), the committees have been formed to ensure structured planning, execution and monitoring of the FMD control program across all levels.
According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the UT Level Committee will be headed by the Administrative Secretary, Agriculture Production Department. The Chief Wildlife Warden, Director Panchayati Raj, Directors of Urban Local Bodies (Jammu/Kashmir), Director Finance (Agriculture Production Department), and senior scientists from ICAR-NIFMD will serve as members.
The senior-most Director of Animal or Sheep Husbandry will serve as the Member Secretary on a rotational basis for one year.
This committee is mandated to meet at least once every two months. It will oversee vaccination strategy, awareness campaigns, cold chain logistics, surveillance and outbreak response.
It will also ensure data uploading on the Bharat Pashudhan Portal and coordinate with neighbouring states for synchronized campaign execution.
The District Level Committees will be chaired by the Deputy Commissioners. Members include Assistant Commissioners (Panchayat), Chief Executive Officers of Municipal Councils/Committees, and Chief Animal Husbandry Officers or District Sheep Husbandry Officers (on rotational basis as Member Secretary).
These committees will be responsible for district-level vaccination planning, logistics, cold chain auditing, training, awareness activities, data reporting, and managing outbreak responses. They will submit detailed reports to the UT-level committee.
Block Development Officers will head the Block Level Committees, with Block Veterinary Officers as Member Secretaries. Members include Foresters, Executive Officers of Municipal Committees, and one progressive dairy farmer from the block.
Their responsibilities include field-level vaccination planning, micro-planning up to the village level, cold chain assessment, monitoring campaign progress, data uploading, outbreak response, and waste disposal. Reports will be submitted to the respective District Level Committees.
The order states timely preparedness, coordination across departments, and strict compliance with reporting and surveillance protocols. All committees are empowered to co-opt members as required to fulfill their mandates effectively—(KNO)