Surat, March 2: Bharwad community leader, young entrepreneur, and real estate developer Vijay Bharwad sponsored over 6 lakh vaccine doses to protect cattle against lumpy skin disease. Also known as lumpy virus, the lumpy skin disease is a viral infection spread by mosquitoes, flies, and wasps, among others or by contaminated food, water or direct contact.
The 6 lakh vaccine doses were administered to cattle in villages across Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. More than 5,000 youths from the Bharwad community travelled to various places to deliver the vaccine doses on time.
“Cows are considered mothers in the Indian tradition and have been revered for ages. The Bharwad community has been traditionally involved with the rearing of cows. The lumpy skin disease was a serious threat to the lives of cows. We acquired the vaccine doses and distributed them across multiple villages in Gujarat and neighbouring states with the help of volunteers from the Bharwad community,” said Mr Bharwad.
Mr Bharwad is a prominent face of the Bharwad community in Surat. He founded Gokul Developers, which has executed some landmark real estate projects in the city. He is also known for supporting various social causes, including educational initiatives.
In Gujarat, more than 2,000 villages in 20 districts reported cases of lumpy skin disease. According to government data, 977 cattle in the state lost their lives to the disease, while more than 33,500 were infected and under treatment. Close to 2.50 lakh cattle in the state had been vaccinated. Milk collection has also been impacted in some places because of the disease.