Animal health centre in Kurseong to be renovated

SNS, KURSEONG, 14 JUNE: The State Animal Health Centre, Kurseong and the State Veterinary Biological Production Centre, Kurseong are being renovated and revived finally.

The GTA Sabha member, Mr Yogendra Rai said that we have already started its renovation work at a total cost of Rs 1.50 crore. Besides the animal health centre, we are also going to introduce a diagnostic lab centre for animals as well as a Veterinary training centre. The renovation works of the centres will be completed within four to five months. Residential facility will be also provided to the trainees.

Notably, with the passage of time, the State Animal Health Centre, Kurseong under the DGHC and the State Veterinary Biological Production Centre, Kurseong, under the government of West Bengal had been suffering a lot of problems.

It was learnt that since 1989, the State Animal Health Centre was running without electricity. due to non-payment of electricity bills amounting to Rs 17,636 in 1989 and hence the electricity department in Kurseong had disconnected the connection of the center. Besides, there was no proper supply of medicines.  Even the living quarters of veterinary doctors were in a shambles, which is why the doctors were compelled to rent their own rooms. Hence, the day to day work of the Centre had become a difficult task to overcome.

The Centre, established in 1965, owns a huge area, which could previously shelter hundreds of animals during the night in the three different huge buildings which till recently was in ruins due to neglect and non-use.

Notably, earlier the centre was in the heart of Kurseong town itself which was later shifted to the outskirts of town near the Kurseong SDO Office in 1965. It was then inaugurated by the Minister of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, Government of West Bengal, Mr S M Fazluz Rahman. Later, when the Centre came under DGHC it included 5 staff and a doctor.

Later, in 1990, the state government built three new buildings in the premises of the centre called “The State Veterinary Biological Production Centre” for the purpose of developing vaccines for animals which was inaugurated by Prof Pravash Phodikar, the then State Minister-in-charge, and Animal Resources Development Department. The centre was only one of the few such production centres in the country yet, surprisingly, it is now in ruins.