( 8 )
SUBORDINATE ESTABLISHMENT—NUMBERS, SUPERVISION, AND
WORK PERFORMED.
See table VII.
42. During the year the subordinate staff has increased from 156 to 162 and
the strength of the establishment as it stood on 31st March was as follows :—
Veterinary inspectors 16, veterinary assistants employed by district boards
118, by municipalities 15, by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
1 and 12 belonging to the provincial or headquarters staff (including one at the
Cawnpore Agricultural College). One veterinary assistant was dismissed by the
District Board, Etawah, for falsifying inoculation returns and another of Naini Tal
District Board for perjury.
43. Although the staff has increased considerably since the re-organization of
the department in 1903, when there were three inspectors and 51 assistants, it is still
far below the requirements of a department as important to the public as this. In
1907, it was considered that one veterinary assistant per tahsil was needed and
should be employed, but even now provision for that number has not been reached.
The Superintendent is of opinion that not less than two men per tahsil can ever
successfully cope with the amount of work connected with the treatment and
preservation of agricultural and other stock. District boards, either from want of
funds or because they fail to realize the urgency of providing veterinary help for
the agriculturist whose welfare depends so largely on cattle, are still reluctant or
adverse to make an increase in their veterinary staff. The Dehra Dun district,
comprising an area of 1,193 square miles of very difficult country, with a cattle
census of 248,679, and those cattle possessing a high degree of susceptibility to
contagious disease, is naturally continually visited by outbreaks of cattle disease,
yet the district board maintained until February last but one veterinary
assistant to deal not only with contagious disease but also to carry out the
ordinary duties expected of a veterinary assistant, over that vast area.
44. The veterinary inspectors are doing useful work and have been
busily employed during the year in checking the work of veterinary assistants,
conducting inoculation campaigns and other measures to suppress outbreaks, in
inspecting and supervising the work connected with horse, cattle, and sheep-breeding
and inspection and care of stud sires. Cattle pounds, dairy sheds, &c., have been
visited by them and reports on the state of the working cattle and hackney
carriage horses in municipalities have been furnished. The provincial staff of
veterinary assistants has done good work in relieving district board veterinary
assistants proceeding on leave and in rendering assistance in treatment of cattle
disease and inoculation in cases where the local staff has been inadequate. They
also help considerably in making special investigations and enquiries regarding
diseases and some have been able to render good service connected with horse and
cattle-breeding operations and in the laboratory. It is found that as a rule the
work of these provincial men is of a more efficient and thorough character than
that done by those men employed by district boards under whose orders they are.
The reason of this is that being directly under the control and supervision of the
Superintendents, these provincial officers are subject to greater discipline and better
training. It is obviously impossible for a district board to efficiently control
officers carrying out work of a technical nature such as this, and hence their
veterinary assistants can easily evade duties which they would otherwise
find difficult if placed more directly under the control and orders of the
Superintendents of the Civil Veterinary department.
EXPENDITURE OF THE DEPARTMENT.
See table XIVA.
45. The cost of the department according to the statement furnished by
the Accountant-General shows a decrease, viz. Rs. 82,724, this year against
Rs. 93,938 expended last year.
GENERAL REMARKS.
46. The work of the department has been dealt with fully in the body of
the report, from which it will be seen that continued progress has undoubtedly
been made during the year in all branches of the work which is day by day rapidly
increasing as the scope of its operations are extending. The public is fast
recognizing the importance of the profession, not only in connection with the
preservation of its animal wealth, but also in relation to matters of the public