ITANAGAR, 28 Aug: The All Nyishi Students' Union (ANSU) has urged the Arunachal Pradesh government to immediately deploy adequate veterinary doctors and para-veterinary personnel and ensure availability of essential medicines and vaccines to contain the reported outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the state.

In a representation submitted to the animal husbandry and veterinary minister, ANSU president Ashok Doka expressed serious concern over the outbreak, claiming that the disease, reported from various parts of Arunachal, has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of mithuns across several districts.

The students' body said the situation is "extremely serious" and poses a grave threat to the mithun population, as well as rural and indigenous communities whose livelihoods, cultural practices and traditions are closely associated with mithun rearing.

It stressed that immediate, coordinated and effective intervention is necessary to contain the spread of the disease and prevent further mortality of mithuns and economic losses among livestock owners.

Highlighting the urgency of the situation, the ANSU requested the state government to deploy adequate veterinary doctors, para-veterinary staff and field teams to areas affected by the disease, as well as locations considered vulnerable to its spread.

The union also called for distribution of essential medicines, vaccines and veterinary supplies required for the prevention and treatment of FMD.

It urged the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department to treat the matter with "utmost urgency" and initiate immediate intervention to contain the outbreak and prevent further deaths of mithuns.

The union said such measures are necessary also to safeguard the livelihoods and interests of communities affected by the outbreak.

Doka said prompt and decisive action by the authorities would provide much-needed relief and reassurance to mithun owners and people in the affected areas.

The representation also underlined the close relationship between mithun rearing and the social, cultural and economic lives of indigenous communities in the state, arguing that continued mortality could have consequences beyond livestock losses.

The ANSU, therefore, sought coordinated government intervention with adequate manpower and veterinary supplies to bring the situation under control and prevent the disease from spreading further.