Scare of glanders disease: Govt cancels horse show in Ludhiana
LUDHIANA : Two weeks after the Delhi government decided to ban movement of horses, mules, and donkeys in and out of the capital’s border, due to the spread of Glanders disease, an infectious bacterial disease that infects horses, the Punjab animal husbandry department cancelled a horse show in Ludhiana. The disease can spread to humans as well by direct contact with the infected animal.
The annual event, branded as a ‘Fashion Parade of Horses’, was to be held at the Baddowal Stadium from January 25-28, with 300 horses from five states scheduled to take part. The sudden cancellation resulted as the organisers, the ‘Empire Horse Club’ got the orders only on Thursday morning, the day of the inauguration of the event. Around 80 horses — pure-bred (Marwari) from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Haryana — were sent back. Police sent back horses arriving for the event from other parts of the state from the Mullanpur barrier
THE CANCELLATION ORDER
“To chalk out the strategies for control and containment of Glanders, the animal husbandry commissioner has issued an advisory to the Punjab and Haryana government on January 15, at Krishi Bhawan in New Delhi ...Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana States were advised to tighten the existing check posts with regard to movement of horses and also to avoid equine fairs until the next intimation,” the cancellation order issued by the department read.
“Hence, it is directed that the four-day event from January 25 to 28 by Empires Horse Club, Ludhiana, be cancelled with immediate effect,” the orders added.
“I have incurred a loss of Rs 4 lakh due to the sudden cancellation. We could have been informed earlier,” said Arpinder Singh Gill, President Empire Horse Club, Ludhiana.
WHAT IS THE DISEASE?
Glanders is an infectious equine (relating to or affecting members of the horse family) disease that leads to inevitable death of horses and threatens the livelihood of the owners who depend on them. It is a bacterial disease and is commonly contracted in humans by consuming food or water contaminated by the nasal discharge of carrier animals.