Staff crunch worries vet unit upgraded to regional centre in Karnal district

KARNAL: The veterinary unit substation of Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, situated at Uchani, got the status of a Regional Centre of Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, last year, but it still lacks basic facilities.

Dr RS Bisla, a senior scientist, examines a cow at Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, at Uchani village in Karnal. Tribune photo: Ravi Kumar

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Karnal, June 29

The veterinary unit substation of Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, situated at Uchani, got the status of a Regional Centre of Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, last year, but it still lacks basic facilities.

The unit runs from a piece of three acres land, which is not enough for the proper functioning of the regional centre. Sources say it should have at least 25 acres of land for the proper running and upkeep of services.

The centre has been facing acute shortage of the staff, which has resulted in huge losses of valuable livestock, as the centre is providing veterinary services including surgical facility for diaphragmatic herniorrhaphy, rumenotomy, tracheostomy, urethrotomy, eye, orthopaedic, gynaecological and oncosurgery in large, small and wild animals of eastern Haryana, western UP and adjoining districts of Punjab.

Apart from providing lab diagnostic facilities, it also provides radiography, ultrasonography and electrocardiography facilities. Sample of milk, faecal, urine, blood, serum, vaginal swab, skin, semen and others are also analysed here. It is also providing the internship training of BVSc and AH programme.

But due to staff crunch, its functioning has been affected badly. A single doctor is handling the OPD of 100 animals and surgeries of 20 large animals each day.

As per sources, there are six posts of assistant scientists in different disciplines, lying vacant since the upgradation of the centre.

Similarly, there are four sanctioned posts of VLDA, out of which three are lying vacant, due to which the work of animal health check up is getting affected.

Two posts of laboratory technicians and one post of laboratory attendant have to be filled. In the absence of staff, the pendency of laboratory diagnosis is very high.

Sources say the post of assistant scientist parasitology, OT attendant, disease investigation officer, two posts of sanitary staff are also lying vacant.

Senior scientist-cum-in charge of the centre Dr RS Bisla said the university authority was trying its best to fill these posts as early as possible. They are awaiting permission from the government to fill these posts.