Resolution on the Annual Report of the Civil Veterinary
Department for the year 1919-20.
Extract from the Proceedings of the Chief Commissioner of Assam in the Revenue
Department, No. 2494 R., dated the 3rd August 1920.
READ—
The report of the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, Assam, on the administration
of the Civil Veterinary Department, Assam, for the year 1919-20 and the review thereon
of the Director of Land Records and Agriculture, Assam.
RESOLUTION.
THE subordinate staff of the Department at the end of the year consisted of
47 Veterinary Assistants and three Inspectors. As there are already more provincial
stipendiaries at the Bengal Veterinary College than are likely to be absorbed by the
Department, no fresh stipends were granted during the year. Instead four Assistants
were sent to the College for a two months' course under a scheme recently designed
for keeping the professional knowledge of the service up to date. The pay of
Veterinary Assistants has been raised since the close of the year.
2. The year was an unhealthy one for live stock and there was a considerable
increase in the number of deaths reported from contagious disease, the figures rising
from 20,819 to 39,188. The chief causes of the mortality were rinderpest, hæmor-
rhagic septicæmia and foot and mouth disease, rinderpest alone accounting for nearly
half the total number of deaths. There was naturally a large increase in the
number of inoculations effected and in the number of cases treated on tour. Arrange-
ments have been made for the delivery of simple lectures on cattle diseases to
gatherings of village chaukidars and gaonburas, with a view to impressing upon them
the value of inoculation and segregation and the prompt reporting of outbreaks ; and
the experiment will be watched with interest.
3. The unhealthiness of the year emphasised the difficulty of coping with exten-
sive outbreaks of contagious disease with the existing staff. The peremptory orders
which were issued to Local Boards in 1914, requiring the employment of a second
Veterinary Assistant, are inconsistent with the present policy of allowing local bodies
a free hand in the utilisation of their resources, and are no longer enforced. A Local
Board, however, incurs a serious responsibility in maintaining a staff less than the
minimum recommended by the Veterinary Department. As in the past, if a Local
Board desires to employ a second officer and is really unable to provide the funds
the Chief Commissioner will do his best to assist. The proposals of the Director of
Agriculture to increase the number of reserve officers are awaited.
4. Mr. Harris showed energy and capacity in his management of the Department,
and the Chief Commissioner is glad to learn that the work of Babu Guru Prasanna
Sen, who acted as Superintendent during Mr. Harris' absence on leave, was satisfac-
tory. Sir Nicholas Beatson Bell has also noted the names of the officers commended
by the Superintendent for good work.
ORDERED that a copy of this resolution, of the report without appendices, the
review of the Director of Land Records and Agriculture, Assam, and the report on the
veterinary administration of the Manipur State be published in the Assam Gazette
for general information.
By order of the Chief Commissioner of Assam,
A. W. BOTHAM,
Chief Secretary to the Chief Commissioner of Assam,
A. S. P. O. (R. & A. )No. 10-740-4-8-1920-A. U, A.