Sheep dip tank service opened at Shahpur

Our Correspondent

Kangra, October 16

The Electro Mobile Sheep dip tank service, a Rs 24-lakh project for the convenience of farmers involved in sheep farming, was yesterday inaugurated at Shahpur. It is aimed at providing environment-friendly dipping and drenching facilities for sheep.

Kewal Singh Pathania, Vice-Chairman, HP State Forest Corporation, after inaugurating the service said the state government was committed to the welfare of farmers keeping sheep. He said Electro Mobile Sheep dip tanks were brought here from New Zealand.

He said Rs 4.25 crore would be spent during the current financial year by the state government on the dipping and drenching of sheep in the state.

He said efforts were on to save sheep as two decades ago the count of sheep was 15 lakh which had reduced to 8 lakh, which, he described, was alarming. On the other hand, the count of goat had increased from 7.9 lakh to 11.9 lakh.

He inaugurated a shed for the dip tank constructed at a cost of Rs 2.5 lakh. He said with this service at Shahpur, farmers indulging in sheep farming in surrounding areas of Shahpur would get their sheep dipped and drenched free of cost. He said it took 2 ltr of water for dipping and drenching one sheep as it was an environment-friendly tank.

He said earlier this dip tank was made available to farmers of Kinnaur, Holi, Dharamsala and Manali.

He said during the 2014-15 financial year, the state government started a quality control wool support price programme, which benefited at least 10,000 sheep farmers in the state. This programme was continuing in the current financial year too. On this occasion, Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry, Vipin Katoch and Wool Federation manager Deepak Saini and other officers were present.