Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday inaugurated a newly constructed Animal Disease Investigation Unit building at Thingal Nagar in Kanniyakumari district via video conferencing from the Secretariat in Chennai.
The building, developed at a cost of ₹1.15 crore, was constructed by the Animal Husbandry Department to enhance veterinary health infrastructure in the region.
Following the inauguration, Kanniyakumari District Collector Ms. Alagumeena lit the ceremonial lamp and addressed the gathering. She highlighted the district’s existing veterinary support, which includes 49 dispensaries, two veterinary hospitals, and one multipurpose veterinary hospital.
The newly established unit will function as a diagnostic hub, analyzing samples of dung, blood, and milk collected from veterinary centers across the district. It will help detect and treat diseases in livestock while also supporting vaccination campaigns of both the Central and State governments.
Ms. Alagumeena also emphasized the unit’s role in disease surveillance, including bird flu detection through sampling in poultry farms. She noted that the unit will coordinate with central labs by sending blood samples before and after vaccinations for analysis and establish checkpoints at district borders to curb the spread of infections from neighboring states.
This initiative aims to bolster animal health monitoring, livestock productivity, and overall public health preparedness in the region.