Nuapada: At least 13 cattle died in Odisha’s Nuapada district, allegedly after consuming leftover food dumped near the site of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s public meeting held recently.
Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has mounted a scathing attack on the BJP government in the state over the alleged incident, claiming that the tragic death of cattle took place as the authorities concerned failed to safely dispose the leftover food.
Speaking to reporters in Bhubaneswar, BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty claimed that a huge quantity of food had been prepared for the attendees at the Chief Minister’s event. However, many people left midway and the leftover food was thrown in the open without any precautions, which finally caused the death of around 20 cattle after they consumed the stale food, he alleged.
As per information, the Chief Minister had addressed a meeting at a field near Gotma airstrip in Amsena panchayat, where lunch was also arranged for the people who attended the event.
After the event held on Thursday, the leftover food, including rice and other items, was reportedly discarded in the open without proper disposal.
On Saturday, domestic cattle from nearby areas are believed to have consumed the stale food. By Sunday morning, several animals were found dead, TNIE reported.
The BJD spokesman said that the loss is both emotional and economic for the affected families as cattle serve as a primary source of livelihood. Alleging negligence, he sought strict action against those responsible for the careless dumping of waste.
However, the district administration is yet to confirm whether the discarded food was indeed the cause of death.
Chief district veterinary officer (CDVO) Dr Parthasarathi Dora confirmed the deaths. “We have received reports of 13 cattle deaths so far, including a few calves. Postmortem report indicates poisoning due to consumption of discarded food, particularly rice. However, we are yet to ascertain from where exactly the animals consumed it,” Dora was quoted by TNIE as saying.
Senior officials of the block or the district administration were immediately not available for comment.