A grand and colourful procession marked the launching of the three-day Raitha Dasara organised as part of Dasara activities in the city this morning.

Law and Animal Husbandry Minister T.B. Jayachandra flagged off the procession in front of Kote Anjaneya Swamy Temple at the North Gate of the Palace after offering puja to Nandi Dhwaja.

The colourful procession, with decorated cattle, bullock carts, tableaux, folk and cultural troupes, accompanied by a good number of farmers, passed through K.R. Circle and Devaraj Urs Road before reaching J.K. Ground, the venue of Raitha Dasara.

District Minister V. Sreenivasa Prasad, MLA Vasu, DC C. Shikha, ZP CEO P.A. Gopal and other officials were present.

Earlier, speaking to media persons, Jayachandra referred to the spread of cattle foot and mouth disease, which has killed thousands of cows and said that the government was making all efforts to arrest the spread of disease.

Vaccination of cattle will be taken up on a large scale in all districts where cattle have been affected by the disease, he said while noting that Mysore, Chamarajanagar, Ramanagar and Kolar were the worst affected.

Pointing out that vaccination was the only solution to stem the disease, Jayachandra said the government has ensured that there was adequate stock of the vaccine. He also said that a committee constituted to study the spread of the disease would submit its report in a week, following which the government would take measures to implement feasible suggestions.

Stressing the need on educating the farmers on vaccinating their cattle, Jayachandra called upon the Opposition parties not to politicise the issue.

Stage programme

Agriculture Minister Krishna Bhyregowda inaugurated the stage programme of Raitha Dasara at J.K. Ground, by lighting the tradition lamp.

However, the farmers among the audience, upset over officials and other dignitaries not standing up when the Raitha geethe was played, got ready to stage a protest, when District in-Charge Minister Sreenivasa Prasad intervened to pacify the enraged farmers, saying that it was a practise followed in past.

Law and Animal Husbandry Minister T.B. Jayachandra, MLA Vasu, DC Shikha, ZP CEO P.A. Gopal, Dasara Sub-Committee Working President Dr. Mahanteshappa, President M.S. Chidambara and others were present.

An interaction meet followed the inauguration. The three-day Raitha Dasara concludes on Oct. 10.

Courtesy : Star Of Mysore