Flood of woes rains on cattle rearers of Uttar Pradesh

With flooding of rivers spoiling the stored chaff and straw and affecting milk sales in many areas, villagers find it hard to feed their livestock and manage expenses Shahjahanpur/Farrukhabad/Hardoi/Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh: "I am no longer able to reach all the areas where I used to deliver milk. Some parts of Shahjahanpur city are still submerged. My milk business has been affected," said Om Prakash Pal (62) of Ladholi village in Uttar Pradesh's Shahjahanpur district. Floodwaters from the Garra and Khannaut do not reach Ladholi, but milk sales have dipped and animal fodder has become expensive. From June 1 to July 11, the district received 232.70 mm against the usual 183 mm. River Ganga received 25,060 cusecs from Narora barrage, while the Ganga's tributary Garra received 23,812 cusecs from Duni barrage. River Ramganga, another tributary of Ganga, received 1,010 cusecs from several dams. The situation exacerbated after Nepal witnessed heavy rains and the rivers flowing into India from Nepal were swollen.  People passing through flooded roads (Photo - Ramji Mishra, 101Reporters)Water from the Khannaut reached the house of Rajeshwar Singh (65), a cattle rearer from Niyamatpur village, on July 13. "There are many areas that are inaccessible, so my 20 litres of milk is getting wasted every day. My animals are crying due to hunger. This river must have flooded after 40 years.""I live in Kaperkatka. This time, the Garra waters reached the village at the beginning of monsoon season [June to October]. Such a flood must have happened after many years. The grasslands along the riverbanks have submerged and our expenses on animals have increased considerably. We are feeding them straw now," said Jalender Singh.Siyaram (60) brought his animals back for grazing once the water level near the riverbank reduced. "An animal requires seven to 10 kg of chaff per day. It costs about Rs 1,000 per quintal. I have six milch animals. The chaff has become expensive and it is not easily available now."Cattle grasslands surrounded by the flooded river (Photo - Ramji Mishra, 101Reporters)Ram Kewal, Special Secretary, Revenue (Relief) Department, told 101Reporters that guidelines have been framed to offer assistance for flood damage. "Suppose there is loss of fodder, what will the cattle herder do? Everyone, from the district magistrate to accountant, is responsible for preparing and sending necessary reports to ensure relief," he said. Nizampur Gautiya is among the villages worst affected by the Garra floodwaters. "There were people waiting for food. There were people waiting to be saved. If someone was drowning, there was no one to save them. We ran towards a bridge. All the people and animals stood on that bridge and saved their lives," Bitoli Devi, aged around 35, narrated the ordeal. Despite the floods leaving them in tatters, Babli Devi, in her 30s, seemed to be more concerned about her cattle. "We lost three trolleys of chaff,” she said dejectedly.Explaining the money involved, Babli adds, “One trolley can hold at least 15 quintals of chaff. Losing 45 quintals that cost Rs 45,000 is an unbearable loss for us. We are labourers. We are not able to meet our expenses.”People of Nizampur Gautiya have been trying to reduce the losses by drying on roads and rooftops the straw left with them. "Walls collapsed, soil eroded and haystacks were washed away. As long as the floods lasted, our animals remained hungry. Due to this, milk production got affected," said Om Prakash Verma (40), who has six animals. Women from Nizampur Gautiya described how heaps of cow dung cakes were also washed away and those left behind became useless. According to the villagers, they are not in a position to buy gas cylinders and have only limited access to drywood for lighting stoves.Dinesh Singh (28) of Gutauti South in Farrukhabad district was roaming with his animals in the grassy fields far away when the Ganga waters entered his village. "After the floods, the milk dairy cooperative's vehicle is not coming here, so milk gets wasted. We are able to manage only half the amount of fodder that our animals eat daily,” said Singh, adding that the Ganga is two km away from the village. Pranshu Gautam (25) noted that straw costs Rs 800 to 1,000 per quintal and that he required around 15 quintals of it every month. “When people face problems in getting their own food, how can they rear their animals well?” he wondered.Sanjay Singh, the pradhan of Nagriya Jawahar village in Farrukhabad district, now transports fodder for his cattle in a boat. Surrounded by River Ramganga on one side, this village is only one to two km away from the Ganga.   Meanwhile, the accountant posted in Amritpur tehsil of Farrukhabad claimed that there is no provision to assess the loss of stored chaff. The accountant is supposed to assess the damage caused in the fields.Flooded rivers are spoiling the stored chaff (Photo - Ramji Mishra, 101Reporters)At Dhaniyapur of Hardoi district, people were seen removing rotten straw. At Kanakapur, some distance away from the Ganga, people were seen bringing fodder for their animals by boat.Premmukhi (38), who lives in Ganganagar in Shahjahanpur district, said the Ramganga originated from his village. “Due to last year’s straw shortage, I could not buy dry fodder for animals. I had to sell buffaloes worth Rs 55,000 for Rs 35,000. Now I have only two cows and one buffalo,” she said, adding that the walls of her house have collapsed in the recent floods.Sudesh Kumar (32) of the same village had built a mud wall around straw to prevent water from entering it. However, during the flood, water entered the straw. Now it is rotting and the animals are not eating it willingly.“During the rainy season, animals suffer from diseases, including foot-and-mouth disease and bovine ephemeral fever. In such cases, we have to go for private consultation. It is quite expensive,” Kumar added. Itauwa in Sitapur district is on the banks of River Chauka. Deepu Awasthi, a resident, said that only damage to fields and crops are assessed during damage assessment. “To date, I have not heard of nor seen any survey to compensate for the loss of dry fodder for animals. Usually, the flooding happens at the end of the monsoon season here, but it came early this time,” he said.  Mahesh Kumar Kaithal, the Sub-District Magistrate of Kalan area of ​​ Shahjahanpur district, said the first priority during floods is to save people's lives. On the straw shortage issue, he claimed the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) provides help in this regard. When contacted, Shahjahanpur district CVO Dr Manoj Kumar Aggarwal told 101Reporters that in case of fodder problem, help from Flood Disaster Relief Fund can be made available. "At present, there is no information of such a problem," he claimed.Regarding the spread of diseases after floods, Aggarwal said that vaccination has already been carried out in flood-affected areas. "If an animal falls ill, people can make use of the toll-free numbers given or visit a veterinary hospital," he added.Edited by Rekha PulinnoliCover Photo - Cattle grazing along the Ganga river (Photo - Ramji Mishra, 101Reporters)

Costume festival brings joy, positivity to this small hamlet in Uttar Pradesh

Pailakisa has been witnessing the three-day annual event a day before karwa chauth since time immemorial, reinforcing social unity in the village Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh: A small hamlet in Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh has made its name because of its annual three-day nakal — a sort of fancy dress competition. No one knows for sure when the tradition started, but it has always been around, says Ramdhar Rajvanshi (50) of Pailakisa village.The fair starts a day before karwa chauth and ends a day after it, bringing together the community and helping in honing the traditional artform.According to Sukali Rajvanshi (58), the entire village comes together to organise the fair. “This is our annual community event. Every section of the village contributes and participates in the fair. It reinforces the message of village unity. Also, there is no financial burden on anyone in connection with the fair,” he says.The village population is made up of Dhobis, Kahars, Muraus, Bhats, Naus, Pasis, Lakadharas, Bhurjis, Brahmins and Thakurs, who come together without any discrimination to organise the festival, he says.Villager painted his face for the costume fair (Photo - Ramji Mishra, 101Reporters)Emotional significanceSumit Bajpai ‘Madhyandin’ (35), a writer, says the purpose of organising the nakal is to bring “positivity and happiness” in the village. “Its more crucial message is in promoting social unity.”  “The fair has been a part of our lives since childhood. Attending the fair was supposed to bring good luck. It was thought that skipping the fair for a year would lead to the death of 40 people,” Ramkumar Pandey (61) explains.Ramakant Pandey (94), a historian from Brahmawali village located some 12 km from Pailakisa, highlights the emotional and cultural significance of the festival for the residents. “The fair is held to ensure good luck in the village all year round and the villagers think that it is auspicious to attend. Around 60 to 70 years ago, the villagers could not organise the fair due to lack of time and coincidentally 40 people died due to a cholera outbreak. Though it is a coincidence, the villagers were deeply affected and ever since not a fair has been missed.”“We even got special permission from the administration to hold the fair during the pandemic,” Ramkumar says. The fair was organised in a big open field, and only a small number of people participated from Pailakisa and nearby villages.Villagers dressed up to celebrate social unity (Photo - Ramji Mishra, 101Reporters)Economic significanceThe villagers are not underselling the importance of the fair, which draws residents from nearby areas in large numbers, thus spurring economic activity. Lekhraj Rajvanshi (45) of Dhorha village in Eliya block of Sitapur district has been setting up a stall during the fair here for the last five years. “I sell toys and run a food stall. I find great pleasure in attending this fair each time and to my knowledge, there is no comparable fair in the surrounding areas that I have seen or heard of,” he says, adding that the money he made depended on the crowd.  The village authorities do not charge any amount from the people who want to set up a stall at the fair. Food items, small decorative items, bindis, bangles and similar items are available at the fair. "I am setting up my shop here for the first time... every day, I manage to make a profit of Rs 400 to 500," Kamlesh Rathore of Maholi, who put together a stall for sunglasses this time, tells 101Reporters.  Thakur Gokul Singh (85) says because of the fair’s popularity, several local artistes participate in the nakal. "Earlier, known local artistes such as Buddha Lohar from Korapur village, Bihari Pandit from Luktaha village and Gulab from Khuti village participated in the nakal," he recalls.Villagers standing in their costumes (Photo - Ramji Mishra, 101Reporters)Cultural significanceThe preparations for the fair begin after a special prayer on the first day of the month of kartik during krishna paksha, as per the Hindu calendar. Usually, only men participate in the nakal, says Ganga Devi, whose husband dresses up for the fair. “Most women fast on karwa chauth. It is possible that men took up on themselves the task of entertaining the village womenfolk and hence this tradition persisted,” she says.“The participants get their clothing and other embellishments ready and do their makeup on their own. Even my children take part in the nakal. These three days are a very enjoyable time,” she says.The popular nakals are Sulochana Prasang from Ramayana, imitated by Ramkumar Pandey, Mahouta-Mahoutin by members of Maurya and Rajvanshi families, Lord Shiva by Ramnath Pandey and Agia Betal by Devi Rajvanshi, besides different imitations of Lord Vishnu. Tableaux of different incarnations are also exhibited. Most of the artistes do not turn to the mainstream imitations, but just copy what their ancestors used to do.  Edited by Tanya ShrivastavaCover Photo - Villagers in amusing costume and painted faces (Photo - Ramji Mishra, 101Reporters)

How 320 km immune belt in western UP stopped Lumpy Skin Disease in its tracks

Vaccination drive undertaken on a war footing in five western districts reduces the number of infected cattle and prevents spread of the viral disease to other parts of the stateShahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh: Even as Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) spread across 10 states and union territories killing more than 1.5 lakh cattle last year, Uttar Pradesh managed to keep the disease in check by adopting a unique strategy of developing a 320-km immune belt.Uttar Pradesh shares a western border with Rajasthan, where the LSD struck hard, resulting in over 75,820 deaths. As the virus began to lurk its ugly head in the border areas of UP in August, the Animal Husbandry Department swung into action and launched mass vaccination drives in early September.The cattle population in 23 blocks of Pilibhit, Shahjahanpur, Faizabad, Mainpuri and Etawah districts received vaccination in no time, which drastically reduced the number of infected animals in the state. Even during the peak of the disease in Rajasthan, one could notice the difference while moving southwards from western UP.   The cattle in UP were mostly spared due to the creation of an immune belt. Ring vaccination, which involved isolating the infected animal and vaccinating all the cattle in its vicinity, was also strictly practised.“Immune belt has worked. The LSD affected only 32 of the total 75 districts in UP. Also, only 655 of the total 1,12,201 infected animals succumbed to the disease. In all, we did 1,57,87,470 cattle vaccinations in the state to keep the disease in check,” Dr Tarun Kumar Tiwari, Director, Disease Control and Farms, Directorate of Animal Husbandry, told 101Reporters.Prevention better than cureLSD is a contagious infection that affects cattle with lower immunity. The infected animal develops fever, excess salivation and nasal discharge, followed by the formation of nodes that look like lumps on the skin. The head, neck and udder are among the spots where eruptions are most visible. The animal would stop eating and milk production would go down. In severe cases, pneumonia and breathing difficulties can kill the cattle.(Above) An infected animal develops fever, excess salivation and nasal discharge, followed by the formation of nodes that look like lumps on the skin; (below) As the live attenuated LSD vaccine needed cold storage, teams carried the vials in ice bags, which were frequently checked by the inspection team for the right temperature (Photos - Ramji Mishra, 101Reporters)“Blood used to come out when the abscesses caused by the virus on my cow’s body burst. The government teams really helped. They visited us several times, gave us medicines free of cost and vaccinated other animals. Besides this free treatment, we also consulted private veterinarians, which cost us a lot,” said Neetu Kashyap, whose cow had LSD at that time. She lives in Sundar Nagar Paina in Shahjahanpur district. “My cow had only small blisters, but the team of doctors treated it. At that time, people claimed my cow is not local and that I bought it from outside for the greed of milk,” said Jalalpur Gurri-based Raju Mishra, whose village lies on the border with Lakhimpur district.  Many cattle rearers are unaware of the disease even now. “Vaccination was done in my village, but I do not know for what disease. It has not spread much here,” said Anmol Mishra of the same village. “There was no disease in our village… and we have 100 cows. Even then, the government team came here and vaccinated our animals and spread awareness on why it was needed,” said Shrikant Mishra of Barnai.Vaccination workflowTo control the spread of LSD, the Animal Husbandry Department aimed at vaccinating 2 lakh animals daily, which was scaled up to 4 lakh later. High-risk areas, mainly those near state or district borders, got priority. Ring vaccination was done in villages within the 5 km radius of any affected village. It takes a minimum of 10 days to three weeks to develop immunity from the vaccine. Though neighbouring Bareilly district was reporting LSD cases, vaccinations in Shahjahanpur district's border areas were already over a few weeks before that. Yet, when a few cases were found in Shahjahanpur during the making of the immune belt, ring vaccination was done there. “When LSD was confirmed in western UP, timely efforts were taken to prevent its spread to other districts. Over 56 teams went out in the morning and worked till late evening to cover the seven blocks in the district,” Shahjahanpur Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Jai Prakash Singh told 101Reporters.Each team had five members. Vaccinators were already equipped as they have been receiving training at the offices of both the chief and deputy medical officers from time to time. So, there were no hiccups on that front. Livestock extension officers were also travelling with the team, while doctors were in constant touch with the team.   Over 56 teams, of five members each, from the Animal Husbandry Department went out in the morning and worked till late evening to cover the seven blocks in Shahjahanpur district (Photos - Ramji Mishra, 101Reporters) As the live attenuated LSD vaccine needed cold storage, teams carried the vials in ice bags, which were frequently checked by the inspection team. They were regularly checking the amount of ice in the bag and ensuring that the vaccine was stored properly. They also gave necessary instructions to the team. One of the challenging aspects for the vaccinators was that a vial should be utilised fully immediately after it was opened.Only healthy cattle could be vaccinated. Cows that are pregnant and young calves were spared. In such cases, the teams adopted a strategy of vaccinating the rest of the animals in the vicinity to reduce the chances of infection. “Our work was similar to tackling a forest fire. Normally, we will try to stop the approaching fire by removing inflammable things and plants on the way. We tried to stem the infection by creating a belt between the infected areas and our districts,” said Dr Singh, who was in regular touch with the vaccination team.As per the official data, only 55 of the total 539 villages in Shahjahanpur district reported the disease. Moreover, there were no cattle deaths as all 103 infected cows recovered. Dr Devki Nandan, a private veterinary practitioner in Deva block of Barabanki district, said, “If vaccination is done beforehand and systematically, the disease can be controlled to a great extent with 80% chances of recovery. Once you follow the protocol, isolate the infected animals and take precautions, it is easy to check the spread. Barabanki saw only a few cases and no deaths.” Cover photo - To control the spread of LSD, the Animal Husbandry Department aimed at vaccinating 2 lakh animals daily, which was scaled up to 4 lakh later (Photo - Ramji Mishra, 101Reporters)Edited by Tanya Shrivastava

A mix of tradition, conservation makes tree weddings in UP villages unique

People come together, irrespective of religion, caste and class, to donate and participate in the janeu ceremony of trees Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh: If you want to see the interdependent and nurturing relationship between trees and humans, these villages in Uttar Pradesh are the places to go.In districts of Sitapur, Saharanpur and Kasganj, trees are considered a part of the family. They are raised as sons and daughters and are celebrated through janeu (a rite of passage in some sections of Hindu community) and their marriages are organised with full pomp and show.The villagers believe that if trees are married, they will thrive and their ‘family’ will grow rapidly, besides producing more fruits. Such rituals indirectly promote environmental conservation.(Left) The banyan tree at its janeu ceremony, which symbolises a rite of passage in some Hindu communities; (Centre, Right) The 'bride' and the mango 'groom'(Sourced by: Ramji Mishra) Explaining the idea behind these ceremonies, Anirudh Awasthi, who attended the janeu of a banyan tree in Bramhavali village of Sitapur district five months ago, tells 101Reporters, “Trees provide us with oxygen. We cannot live without it. They are a part of our family. They are everything to us, which is why we celebrate them.”Once the tree’s janeu ceremony is over, it is worshipped in villages. “The rituals performed are the same as the ones practised for humans. During the ceremony, the tree is clothed and a sacred thread is tied around it. Everyone participates wholeheartedly,” says Awasthi (35).Children are fed barua (a sweet prepared with buttermilk and rice). Traditionally, girls are offered food first, after which the entire village eats together. Usually, banyan and amla trees are selected for the janeu ceremony. “Banyan is the national tree of our country. It spreads outwards indefinitely, has medicinal properties and survives for generations. The tree is very important to us and its protection is our responsibility. We even hold programmes to underscore its importance. Though it does not bear fruits, banyan is an environmentally-vital species. This is why the villagers came together for the janeu ceremony,” says Rangnath Pandey (60).Anil Kumar Mishra of Ashokpur village in Kasganj district officiated the marriage between a mango groom and jamun bride in neighbouring Binpur village last year. “I officiated another wedding in my village about 30 years ago. The tree is considered a child. Once married, the family does not consume its fruits. Instead, they donate the tree so that others in the community can enjoy its fruits.” The children are fed barua (a sweet prepared with buttermilk and rice) on the day of the janeu ceremony (Sourced by: Ramji Mishra)Everything that you would expect in a human wedding happens at the tree wedding. A procession is taken out, and the entire event lasts for about four to five hours. Typically, a fruit-bearing tree like mango is selected for the wedding so that the person to whom it is donated gets the fruits.The ceremony also forms an emotional bond, as no human will harm a tree that was nurtured like a child.Kirti Bhushan Trivedi (45) of Bramhavali village says the tradition has been a part of village lifestyle for generations. “My grandmother also held a tree wedding. If seen from a social point, the practice encourages the concept of brotherhood. You donate a tree you planted to someone else. In addition, when children see us serving trees, they also grow up to do the same.”Couples, one-by-one, taking part in rituals of the janeu ceremony of banyan tree. (Sourced by: Ramji Mishra)The thing about such events is that it brings people together, irrespective of religion, caste and class. “The only religion is the religion of planting trees,” says Mishra, adding that tree weddings can happen anywhere and anyone can participate; the only thing that everyone must believe in is the need to conserve environment.Trivedi says he spent Rs 2,000, excluding the cost incurred on a feast, for the janeu ceremony of a banyan tree. “People also donate money to organise the event. Since it is an expensive affair, such events are not held widely in villages. But whenever it happens, they step forward and participate,” he says.During the event, new clothes, mor (groom's headgear) and ornaments are placed around the ‘groom’. For the ‘bride’, lipstick, bangles, bindi, saree and jewellery are kept beneath the tree.  The baraat goes through the village, after which they sit and eat together.A mood of celebration prevails as the social and cultural programme progresses, thriving on the love for nature.  Edited by Tanya ShrivastavaThe cover image is from a janeu ceremony in Sitapur, where the priest is performing rituals. Photo sourced by Ramji Mishra.