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Cows are torturing, horses are growling, oxen are fighting, that is part of the cataclysmic scene from Suva planina, where the animals have been without water for the fourth day. More than 800 cows and 200 horses are suffering, because all the springs have dried up, and the contract with the local self-government of the Serbian Army, which brought water to the drinking place, has expired.
“I drove 18 tons of water by truck today and the animals are not satisfied and watered yet, they are still roaring. I take the water one 11 miles lower. Let’s get together a little, each for fuel. Nobody pays me for the last six tours. The peasants don’t have more money, I don’t have any more, I don’t have any more fuel, I would take another tour now, but I don’t have any more fuel or my own money. “
This is what Radiša Jovanović says about Sputnik, one of the owners of cattle on Suva planina, which also got its name because it almost always dries up all its rivers in summer.
He explains that the strongest spring, Rakoš, which resists drought for the longest time, is completely without water. Livestock breeders from nearby villages in this mountain keep cattle, according to the nomadic principle, release the animals into the wild and feed them only in case of need. When the water in one spring dries up, it moves to another. However, the water is nowhere to be found. Not a drop.
The horrific pictures of animals kneeling exhausted over the empty watering hole were released to the public by the professor of the Faculty of Economics in Nis, Tamara Milenković Kerković, who went to Suva planina following the news of the disappearance of water.
– From the beginning of August, there was such a great drought that the biggest choice, Rakoš, started to lose water. I saw, the water was leaking like when we don’t have water in the apartments, just dripping, it completely dried up. Three large concrete pools have been made around the spring, which collect water from the spring where the cattle drink. Those pools are completely empty, and the picture and noise that these thirsty animals produce is horrible – she says for Sputnik.
Mr. Baća and Mr. Radiša are two heroes from Suva planina! They do not give up animals and ask all citizens of Serbia to help! Radiša also helped the army while she was with them and now I use my broken truck to fetch 6 tons of water every day, which is 10th part of what you need! pic.twitter.com/ryAsYLnEmc
– Misha (@misatelefoni) September 14, 2021
Our interlocutor explains that the municipal local self-governments hired and paid the army to fetch water for drinking water, however, their contract expired on September 11, and the cisterns have not come since.
Seeing that the situation was approaching disaster, the professor, who is also politically active in the municipality of Nis, contacted the authorities, first in the municipality of Gadzin Han.
– The man was very nervous, he told me that the situation was fine there, that we could not ask them from the armchair what was happening, that there was water, what I was convinced of, because he was on the spot, that the water was going, that cattle have water – reports Milenković Kerković.
Municipal leaders “do not see the problem” “
She explains that Suva planina extends to two more municipalities, Babusnica and Bela Palanka, but that none of them even has handy machinery to save the tortured animals.
Sputnik managed to reach Goran Miljković, the president of the municipality of Bela Palanka, who, despite shocking photos and videos of helpless thirsty animals struggling to drink the last drop of water from empty pools, claims that there are no problems.
– I don’t know who raised that problem to this level, we have been supplying that cattle, ie those people who keep it, with drinking water all summer with the municipality of Gajin Han. There was a delay of several days, and today it returned to the old level, that is, the Serbian Army was engaged, it was organized by us, Bela Palanka and the municipality of Gadzin Han – Miljković told us.
The army is still waiting
He points out that both municipalities helped livestock owners during this crisis, transferring funds to the local community, which hired private individuals to haul water to the mountains.
– A new contract with the Serbian Army has been made, everything is fine, as far as I am concerned, there was no need to panic, in essence, the situation on the ground is not like that at all – claims Miljković.
Livestock owner Radisa Jovanovic also says that he was told in the municipality that the problem would be solved;
– I talked to the president this morning, but there is no army yet, it is possible that he will arrive in the morning – says this exhausted man and adds that he cares most about calves that cannot live without water for more than two days.
Some media claim that the Ministry of Agriculture provided water for the attacked cattle, however, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management did not provide official information about that.
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