state | Arunachal Pradesh
WAY TO SUSTAINABLE LIVING
Microchip
for
identity
Ubiquitous Mithuns in
Arunachal have an untold
misery of landing in wrong
hands - not the actual
owner. So how does the
state handle this, reports
Sabyasachi Bhattacharjee.
Gone are the days of ‘warfare’
over the ownership of Mithuns,
the symbol of social standing in
the Himalayan state. With the
implantation of microchips im-
ported from Germany, the ani-
mal, from now onwards, is all
set to make a difference on iden-
tification matters.
An injectible microchips, with a
unique 15-digit identification number
embedded in it, is being implanted
in Mithuns and Bisons in Arunachal
Pradesh – the first of its kind system
32 June 08
for identification of ownership of live-
stock in any part of the world.
The Mithun has traditionally been
used as the unit of wealth and has been
ubiquitous both in wild and semi-do-
mesticated forms. Having an intimate
relation with socio-cultural life of the
people, the Mithun has a religious sig-
nificance too. It is allowed to move
freely in the jungle till it is either used
for food on festive occasions and mar-
riage feasts or for barter. Owners of
the Mithun have traditionally relied on
branding the animals or marking their
ears for identification. But this has of-
ten fallen short of providing a foolproof
system and hence leads to disputes.
But now with the microchips, made of
chemically treated coils of iron, glass
and copper, sourced from Germany by
the Centre, coming to their rescue, the
livestock owners are all elated. “This
Rs. 40,000-chip is injected between the
neck and the left shoulder of the animal
and is said to have no adverse effects,”
said Jikom Panor, a veterinary officer
at the government-run Mithun Breed-
ing Centre in Sagalee.
According to official records, over
50 Mithuns have already been inject-
ed with the microchip and another 50
are in the queue. “If the experiment
succeeds, the microchips could be
implanted in elephants, domestic ani-
mals and also in dogs. It all depends
on the owners, if they agree to pay for
the shots,” said Mr. Chukhu Loma, the
man behind the mission.
A deputy chief wildlife warden him-
self, Mr. Loma said: “Every microchip
bears a unique code that resembles a
bank account number. One number is
allotted to one Mithun and our records
will tell who is the owner of that ani-
mal.”
Mr. Loma hit upon the idea after at-
tending a programme on microchip-
ping of elephants at the Orang National
Park in Assam in 2003. He was then
seriously concerned with difficulties
that the Mithun owners in Arunachal
Pradesh were facing in identifying
their livestock and soon chose to bring
this to his home state.
The Mithun is a symbol of wealth in
that state and people do anything to
own one or two. This rare species of
livestock is also reared by the tribal
populace of Nagaland, Manipur and
Mizoram, besides in neighbouring
countries like Myanmar, Bhutan and
Bangladesh.
This April 26 - the World Veterinary
Day - the state government organised
some official events to lay thrust on
the rearing of the Mithun, which have
gone to the verge of extinction.
The government representatives
called it a “new dawn” in the history
state | Arunachal Pradesh
of veterinary science, when free veteri-
nary services such as diagnosis of dis-
eases followed by treatment and vac-
cination in different villages, creating
public awareness through door to door
interactions with the rural populace,
microchipping of Mithuns for identi-
fication of prolific genre, registration
of domestic animals and exhibition of
various drugs for the well-being of the
animals have been taken up more seri-
ously than before.
Keeping track of other development
activities in the state, it has taken eight
long years for the state to make a ren-
dezvous with the jamboree which was
made “get, set and go” in other parts of
India as well as the world in 2000.
“Lack of awareness about various fac-
ets in the veterinary sector and a num-
ber of hitches on farming and breeding
of animals led to the delay,” experts
say. The commemoration is a pointer
to bring a welcome change in the vet-
erinary sector for making wholesome
animal and human health as well as
propelling sustainable environment.
In this perspective, the primary ob-
jective of veterinarians is to raise the
livestock and poultry bird productivity,
to make use of improved technological
inputs and to come to terms with the
demands of an ever growing popula-
tion. They are giving it a go organizing
varied awareness campaigns like semi-
nars, interactions and postering, pro-
viding free veterinary service through
vaccination programmes.
For better economic gains of farmers,
the veterinarians are showing them the
way for better productivity of animals.
Monitoring of live and slaughtered
animals for ensuring “safe” food to
consumers has also compounded their
responsibilities like prevention of dis-
eases in livestock and their treatment. Programme’ that is underway in Pap- The veterinarians have multi-faceted
On the emerging threat of bird flu and um Pare district under the supervision roles to play for sustainable develop-
other diseases, Dr Jikom Panor of Sag- of vets, staff of Forest and Health de- ment and welfare of animals and wild
alee Centre said: “The bird flu has tak- partments. With the maiden initiative life protection. A scientific tempera-
en the world by storm due to its emerg- to put a check to the outbreak of avian ment seems to be of utmost importance
ing threat across the globe. But, we are flu in Arunachal, the step involving all among the stakeholders to bring about
initiating measures to put a stop to the the stakeholders is being spread to oth- improvement in management of ani-
menace, organising a ‘Bird Training er districts of the state as well.” mal farms.
June 08 33