UKHRUL, NOVEMBER 17: Assam bans inter-district movement of live pigs in the State preventing the spread of African swine fever, a highly contagious and lethal disease.
The number of ASF cases has been on a rise in the state since January this year with the officials of Assam’s Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department identifying 297 epicenters of ASF across almost all 35 districts in the State so far – 84 of them notified in October alone.
Assam has a sizable pork-eating population with a thriving piggery industry with farmers in the State also being a major supplier of processed meat to other States in the Northeastern region.
The ASF disease has spread across almost all districts with Dhemaji, Kamrup, Lakhimpur, Sivasagar, Darrang, Jorhat and Dibugarh reportedly more concentrated.
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Alarmed by the spread of the virus, the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department issued an order on Monday (November 17), “In exercise of power under Section 7, 10(1), 10(3), 10(4), 11, 12, and 13, read with Section 6 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals Act, 2009, the inter-district movement of live pigs in the State of Assam is hereby banned for the time being, with immediate effect and until further order to prevent further spread of the disease.”
The government further banned the intra-district movement of live pigs in the seven eastern Assam districts, along with the sale of pork in these districts, with immediate effect and until further order.
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ASF was also detected in Manipur’s Kakching and Churachandpur districts last week, prompting authorities to declare the affected areas as containment zones.