Veterinary crisis in minister's hometown leaves 900 cattle dead

Chamarajanagar, despite being the native district of Karnataka’s Animal Husbandry Minister K. Venkatesh, is facing a dire shortage of veterinary doctors. In a disturbing development, over 900 cattle deaths have been recorded in just the past 18 months, alarming farmers and residents.

Currently, the district has only 10 government veterinary doctors, a shockingly inadequate figure for a livestock-dependent region located on the state’s border. The scarcity has left locals bewildered — especially as the minister himself represents this constituency.

Frustrated citizens question the glaring contradiction: “If the minister’s own district is in such disarray, what must be the state of others?”

According to local farmers, most of the cattle deaths stem from a lack of timely vaccinations and veterinary attention. With public facilities understaffed, many are forced to rely on private clinics, where treatment costs — including vaccinations — can climb to ₹5,000 per cow monthly, placing an unbearable burden on small-scale livestock owners.

Though farmers have repeatedly pleaded for immediate recruitment of veterinary professionals, government response has been slow. Sources attribute the delay to poor salaries in the public sector, inadequate facilities at government clinics, and lack of incentives — all of which discourage qualified veterinarians from accepting government roles.

The situation has become a flashpoint for rural outrage and has raised pressing questions about the state’s commitment to animal welfare and rural livelihoods.

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