Sheep Husbandry Kashmir Organizes Awareness Camp at Aripal Tral

Tral, July 26: In a significant step towards strengthening the livestock sector in the region, the Sheep Husbandry Department Kashmir organized a comprehensive awareness camp on Saturday at Aripal in Pulwama district. The event was marked by the inauguration of a newly constructed hospital building by the Director Sheep Husbandry Kashmir, Dr. Rafiq Ahmad Shah, who attended the event as the chief guest.

Dr. Shah was accompanied by Deputy Director Central, Dr. Mohammad Amin Dar, and District Officer Pulwama, Dr. Mohammad Ashraf, among other senior officials and veterinary professionals.

In his address, Dr. Shah highlighted the department’s ongoing commitment to improving infrastructure and services in the sheep sector. “After a long period of time, we have built a hospital in our REPL facility. The construction of the building has been completed,” he said, announcing that the facility will soon be equipped with ultrasound (USG) services, an X-ray plant, and a state-of-the-art surgical theatre.

While acknowledging that 24/7 services might not be immediately feasible, Dr. Shah assured that full-time treatment facilities will now be available at the center.

The event also focused on raising awareness among local breeders and farmers about the various government-backed schemes such as HADP (Holistic Agriculture Development Programme), ISDS (Integrated Sheep Development Scheme), JKSIP (Jammu & Kashmir Sheep Infrastructure Project), and NLM (National Livestock Mission). “We’ve provided awareness about different schemes and listened to some of the public’s concerns. Some of those have been addressed today, while others will be taken up shortly,” Dr. Shah noted.

A key objective of the camp was to engage the youth and encourage them to participate in agriculture and allied sectors. “We want to show how these sectors can not only be self-sustaining but also offer employment opportunities for others,” he added.

Dr. Shah further emphasized scientific advancements in the field, particularly the importation of elite germplasm from Australia and the upcoming introduction of Swiss Alpine breeds, both aimed at enhancing genetic potential in local flocks.

“This is our traditional work, and we are now taking it forward in a scientific way. The department and the public must work hand in hand to realize the full potential of the sheep husbandry sector and contribute to the region’s development,” he concluded.