the authorities in Gujarat have seized 19.2 lakh banned oxytocin injections which are illegally sold to the cattle owners to raise milk production.

According to the state health minister, Ashok Bhatt, the seizure was made in a series of raids in Patan, Mehsana and Ahmedabad towns of the state. It was found that large stocks of oxytocin, meant to be used for humans during delivery to increase uterine contractions and thus speed up the process, besides increasing lactation, were illegally imported from Haryana and Bihar.

The shops were selling the injections without any prescriptions. Repeated use of the injections was threatening the lives of five million cattle in the state, said the minister.

Bhatt said that the government will soon organise a workshop on the misuse of oxytocin. "Apart from implementing the law, we also want to conduct a parallel programme for cattle owners who are unaware of the harmful effects of the drugs on their cattle,' said Bhatt.