Introduction

In our country animals are mostly kept and treated adopting conventional practices. Farmers are either not familiar with the latest advances or are reluctant to adopt them. During last two-three decades several governmental, non-governmental organizations, agricultural universities, ICAR, media and other agencies have made efforts to improve this situation with varying degrees of success. Between 1975 and 1994, personal efforts were made to popularize animal husbandry and veterinary practices amongst farmers and others, including students in Hindi speaking areas mostly through writing literature in Hindi and less frequently by audio-aids and by taking interested groups to animal farms and disease diagnosis laboratories. In present paper a critical review of this work is presented and its pros and cons are discussed.

The work was undertaken by following means:

dermatitis’ was identified in buffaloes of Mukteswar. A preliminary research note was published on this disease. While addressing a large gathering of Uttaranchal hill farmers at Rishikesh, the author mentioned about prevalence of this ailment in buffaloes served to eat potato plants. Several farmers asked why a circular was not issued on this. It may be stated that it was easy to communicate scientific idea on burning issue owing to simple economics. Under such situation farmers try even to collect information themselves.

A Hindi book ‘Pashuon Ke Sankramak Roag’ (Infectious Diseases of Farm Animals) was written by the author and published by ICAR, New Delhi. It was low priced (Rs. 55/- only with 15% rebate to students) was demanded/ purchased by good number of students while some other books with fine getup and higher price did not get good circulation. Distribution of complimentary copies of this book was discouraged. It may be suggested that if we have to communicate some idea, price of books should be low and it should be easily available. Some readers demanded books on pig keeping. Unfortunately not many good publications in Hindi are available on such topics. Serious efforts are desired in this area.

Groups of students, visitors (including families) and VIP’s were taken around to show them Pashmina goat, Angora and meat-rabbit farms and dairy units. If things were explained properly and scientifically, these guests took lot of interest and asked several questions. For example 99% visitors were not aware that Pashmina fiber is produced from goat wool found into high Himalayas. Due to lack of information or knowledge people thought that it was produced from sheep wool. Mis-information were published in science textbook of class three, published by a national organization. The matter was brought to the notice of the publisher as well as the visitors. This was an effective attempt at popularization of Pashmina breed and products. Visitors in turn informed about ‘Tosh’, a type of feather obtained from certain wild bird. These feathers are said to be used in winter clothings.

Most effective method of popularisation of veterinary science was taking visitors to laboratories. At IVRI campus Mukteshwer, every year especially during summer, tourists-cum-visitors are educated about virus and viral diseases such as rinder-pest, foot and mouth disease and goat pox. It will not be out of place to mention that many people have misconception that rinder-pest or cattle plague is caused by bacteria. Possibly this confusion was created from human plague which is caused by a bacteria Yersinia pestis. Surprisingly, a TV channel was noted to be informing listeners about ‘human plague virus’. This was due to lack of scientific information. The similarity between human and cattle plague is that both diseases have caused heavy mortality in past. Attempt was made to convey correct fact to people about the cause of rinder-pest or cattle plague being a virus. Even in certain textbooks of science for class Xth, this wrong information was provided. The author made correspondence with the publishers and this was rectified in the subsequent editions. It is also desired that if teachers and scientists come across with any such mistakes in text books they should write immediately to authors/ editors/ publishers for correction of such errors. By adopting this procedure we may help in providing error free scientific communications.

Visitors to pathology laboratory were shown parasites, insects, cancer and several other formalin fixed tissue specimens. They took lot of interest in these spots. A specimen of cow heart which was pierced by a 10 cm needle was source of attraction of visitors. Scientifically traumatic reticule periearditis or TRP. An extension folder published on this subject was found very popular. People were pained to learn that if they threw needles, blades or nails here and there it may lead to this type of dreaded ailment. Exhibiting such specimens or distributing extension folders to all concerned may help in prevention of this type of diseases. This is also a sort of consequence of environmental pollution and it requires our immediate attention. Subsequently, a small veterinary science museum room was established at IVRI campus Muktewar for popularisation of some of these aspects of veterinary sciences.

There is a long list of such subjects and it cannot be covered in a single article. It was felt that if scientists develop hobby of writing in Hindi or regional languages they may contribute a lot to common masses in their extra time. Scientists should be discouraged to say that I cant write in Hindi or in regional language or it is very difficult to write in Hindi and so on. Popularisation of science can be better done in this country by writing in regional languages only. Writing in mother tongue is simple and very easy and our scientists should accept this challenge to serve out common masses. Veterinary scientists/ extension workers will be more successful if they attend camps in large national fairs and try to communicate their ideas. ‘Sonpur Ka Mela’ may be the best place for communicating to farmers about animal sciences (Shourie A, Personal communication, 1994).

If we adopt such practices and explain to farmers, students and laymen and women about certain basics of animal sciences we may not see every day newspaper headings like ‘hundreds of cattle died due to Galghotu’ or ‘vets are not treating rinderpest or rabies’ and so on. Because, if journalists are aware that it is easy to prevent infectious diseases by vaccination they may change their writing style and also headlines of their reports. If we can communicate to our local press and media reporters properly and disseminate information rationally and scientifically, it shall be a red-letter day in the history of popularisation of science in general and veterinary sciences in particular.

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