8 officials suspended in UP over reports of cattle deaths

Lucknow: The UP government has ordered suspension of eight officials and issued show-cause notices to three others, including district magistrates, following reports of cattle deaths from different parts of the state.

The action comes after 16 bovines died after consuming poisonous fodder in Chheria Khurd village of Chitrakoot district on Saturday.

According to an order issued late Sunday night, those suspended include block development officer of Milkipur (Ayodhya district), deputy chief veterinary officer of Ayodhya, village panchayat officer of Paliamafi in Milkipur and two veterinary doctors of Ayodhya Municipal Corporation.

“Taking cognisance of reports of cattle deaths in the state, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has suspended eight officials for laxity, while show-cause notices have also been issued to three officers. He also held a video conference with the district magistrates and expressed his displeasure,” a senior UP government official said on Monday.

Dr A K Singh, the chief veterinary officer of Mirzapur, executive officer of Mirzapur Mukesh Kumar and Ramji Upadhyay, an engineer of Mirzapur Municipal Corporation have also been suspended, the order stated.

Show-cause notices have been issued to the district magistrate and chief veterinary officer of Ayodhya and the district magistrate of Mirzapur, it added.

Adityanath has directed the divisional commissioner of Prayagraj to launch a probe into the matter and take action against the guilty officials.

Instructions have been also issued to the Lucknow Development Authority, Lucknow Municipal Corporation and UP Awas Vikas Parishad to work together and run a campaign to take the stray cattle to Kanha Upvan.

Sixteen bovines, including six buffaloes, fell ill and died after they came back from the jungles where they went for fodder, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Manikpur Sangamlal had said.

The post-mortem confirmed that they died due to consumption of poisonous food, he added.