Chhapra, June 27: The cattle and poultry farm owners in Saran are having a torrid time. Several projects aimed at benefiting them have not yet seen the light of the day in the district. Reason: sixteen out of 20 blocks in the district are devoid of animal husbandry offices for the past several years.

The animal husbandry department sources told The Telegraph that 35 artificial conceiving centres were supposed to be opened in the state. But not a single is functioning in the district. Even the frozen semen centre at the district headquarters is defunct for a long time.

Two other programmes of the state government — poultry development and poultry village — are also not being executed in Saran. But they have been implemented in other districts, the sources said.

Besides, there was a plan to connect the animal husbandry department offices in the district with the state office by June this year. But the work has been going on at a snail’s pace and the department officials could not give a specific date as to when that could be completed, the sources said.

The department officer, Dr Mukund Murari Sinha, told The Telegraph: “The Internet connectivity is there at the district headquarters in Chhapra but there are no operators.” On the 16 block offices running without an officer, Sinha said: “The posts would be filled up soon. The animal husbandry department is facing a shortage of employees. Six out of 10 posts are vacant for the past few years. The office does not have its own building and is functioning from a rented house at Dahiyawan Mohalla, which is in a dilapidated condition. The wires in the building have burnt and there is no power supply.”

The cattle owners pointed out that in the absence of the state government’s support, they have to depend on the private practitioners for the treatment of their cattle when they are ill. Jhalasu Rai of Aami village under Dighwara police station, who owns around 20 cows and buffaloes, said he never got any medical assistance whenever he went to any hospital.

“I do not know of any government scheme that helps cattle owners like us,” Dahari Rai of Rebelganj village said.