Ration, fodder bags distributed in flood-hit areas

LAHORE:A charity organisation reached out to 657 communities in 14 districts in Punjab with first aid, emergency treatment, fodder for animals and dry ration for equine-owning communities.

Livelihood of a large population depends on equines and livestock they own, so it is important to provide them food and medicines along with humans.Brooke’s focus is on horses and donkeys but, in the flood-affected areas its staff provided relief to 30,000 animals in which there were a number of livestock. This was made possible with the collaboration of Livestock department.

The organisation held a conference to inform the civil society and media about the flood relief work carried out by Brooke and its partner organisations and what the flood-affected people and animals need. It distributed 6,000 ration bags among people and 10,000 fodder bags, said Javaid Gondal of Brooke Pakistan.

Activists who have recently returned from flood-affected areas informed others of the needs of the disaster-hit people and animals. Rights activists who recently visited the disaster-hit areas, informed that clean water was a challenge. In DG Khan, what they needed most were cots which were provided to the people, said Tahira Rasool of Tahira Animal Welfare. She is now going to Sindh where they need medicines, blankets, tents and warm chadars.

A team from University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) has recently returned from Lasbela where they provided water cleaning tablets to the people and told them it was important to give clean water to the animals as well. Besides ration, the students distributed medicines, soaps, clothes, utensils, combs, towels etc among the flood-affected people. They had also taken food supplements with them. Livestock department provided them a place to stay. Professor Aneela Durrani from UVAS briefing the audience warned of impending food security crisis in near future which would affect animals as well.

Aiza Haider of Animal Rights Advocacy Group stressed on legislation, on the need to enhance livestock policies through legislation. A university teacher Amina suggested establishing animal welfare societies in all colleges and universities and called for raising funds for the cause.