Mahime Rangaswamy cattle fair halted over lumpy skin disease fears

BENGALURU: The district administration has halted the historic Mahime Rangaswamy  cattle fair at Mahimapura in Nelamangala taluk over fears of the lumpy skin disease.

The Mahime Ranagaswamy cattle fair is considered one of the famous fairs on the outskirts of the city. The district deputy commissioner ordered a halt to the fair due to increasing cases of lumpy skin disease in cattle and farmers were asked to cooperate with the administration.

The police department stopped farmers and cattle as they arrived for the fair. The farmers expressed their outrage against the administration and police department for halting the fair. The farmers also alleged that the Muzrai Department has not publicised the district administration’s order.

Tejas Kumar, Assistant Commissioner.

“The deputy commissioner gave an order to halt the cattle fair to protect cattle from the lumpy disease. It will affect dairy products. We have taken information from the veterinary department and then banned the cattle fair. We want farmers to cooperate on this”, said Tejas Kumar, Assistant Commissioner.

Manjunath, a farmer

“I have two cattle and I came for the cattle fair. They have not informed us about anything. We are at a loss and no one is bothered to tell us. At least Rs 10,000 in losses have occurred for those who came here to participate in the cattle fair”, said Manjunath, a farmer.