The wounds are still raw from the violence erupted during
the ethnic clashes in Manipur. The Northeast State is now facing a new
challenge as the Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department confirmed an
outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF).
A pig farm at Imphal West’s Central Agriculture
University has been declared the “epicentre” of the contagious disease.
A joint advisory was issued by the Deputy Commissioner
of Imphal West along with the Veterinary Department Director effectively
designating Imphal West as a controlled area in view of the ASF spread.
Movement and transportation of pigs from Imphal West
has been banned. The authorities have put strict restrictions on the movement
of pigs and any materials that might have come into contact with infected
animals.
“No pig shall be moved from the place where it is
kept within the controlled area, dead or alive, which is infected or reasonably
suspected to have been infected and any kind of feed or material which could
have come into contact with such animal,” read the notification.
Pork is popular among non-vegetarians in Manipur. Reportedly,
it is being sold at Rs 180 tp 200 per kg currently due to the outbreak and has
resulted in a financial loss for pig farmers.
According to the Prevention and Control of Infectious
and Contagious Disease in Animals Act, 2009, any animal owner or an officer,
who contravenes the provisions of the act shall be held guilty for the
punishable offence.
African swine fever is a highly contagious viral
disease that primarily affects domestic and wild pigs, often resulting in a
mortality rate of up to 100 per cent.
Although it does not pose a direct threat to human
health, it can devastate pig populations and inflict significant damage on the
farming economy.
ASF has become a global concern, with outbreaks
affecting pig populations in various countries across Asia, the Caribbean,
Europe and the Pacific.
NE Watch Desk
