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Propaganda Section.
Sri B. K. Gupta, Sri K. P. Neogi and Sri S. M. Dhar, one after another,
beld charge of the Propaganda Section during the year under report. Sri
Neogi held office for a very short time and was succeeded by Sri Dhar in
the early part of January 1949 and remained in charge of the section fort
the rest of the year under report. After partition the Propaganda Section
became handicapped for shortage of models and other equipments. The
portion of the equipments and models taken away to East Bengal have not
yet been replenished. In spite of this handicap this section continued to
render valuable service to the people at large to cope with man's ignorance
in veterinary matters, a task of enormous magnitude which had to be
prosecuted persistently though slowly. Every endeavour was made from
this section, with the resources at its disposal, to impart veterinary know-
ledge specially to the rural people. Altogether 11 out of 15 shows and
exhibitions were attended. Stalls were opened in them and demonstrations
were held by attractive models and pictorial posters.
A show-room of the Propaganda Section is maintained in one of the
rooms of the office of the Assistant Director of Veterinary Services, furnished
with interesting and instructive models, charts and pathological specimens
to draw the attraction of the visitors who step into it. This section before
partition, was equipped with Cinema Machine and several educative films.
But the machine being taken away to East Bengal with all its accessories,
the work of this section has been greatly handicapped.
Glanders Section.
This section consists of 7 Glanders Inspectors including a Chief, 8
constables including one head constable and 5 Field Assistants under the
control of the Assistant Director of Veterinary Services. They are mainly
meant for the control of scheduled diseases under Glanders and Farcy Act.
It may be noted that they deal with diseases which are communicable to
human beings.
In addition to the above duty this staff is employed and their services
are utilised for the efficient control of contagious diseases that break out
amongst the cattle within the jurisdiction of Calcutta, Howrah, Tollygunge,
Barrackpore, Dum Dum, Cossipore and other adjacent municipalities. They
remained busy mostly to control the Rinderpest outbreaks in their jurisdic-
tion which was the deadly scourge of cattle and they effectively controlled
outbreaks which came to their notice during their tour or were reported to
them from time to time.
One Glanders Inspector also worked in the area of Kalimpong where
outbreak of Glanders was rather common. This disease has been found
prevalent among mules and ponies which are imported from Tibet and the
spread of the disease was being augmented by unregulated movements of
the infected animals from Tibet area into West Bengal State. This is
a very important post and has so far rendered satisfactory service in check-
ing the spread of the disease. This important post of Glanders Inspector
was held by Sri L. B. Mukhia who rendered very satisfactory service in
checking the spread of the disease.
Mass Inoculation Section.
The Mass Inoculation Section consists of a District Veterinary Officer,
a Staff Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, 3 Veterinary Assistant Surgeons and
38 Field Assistants, whose duty it is to launch wholesale vaccination for
protection of the cattle against contagious diseases as per programme.