Manipur Veterinary and Animal Husbandry secretary on Friday notified that there is confirmed report of the outbreak of ‘African Swine Fever (ASF)’ among the pigs of Central Agricultural University, Iroisemba, Manipur reared under the All Indian Coordinated Research Project (AICRP).
The notification issued and signed by secretary veterinary and animal husbandry Michael Achom mentioned that based on a submitted report, Imphal West is notified as a controlled area for African Swine Fever (ASF) with immediate effect to prevent, control and eradicate the scheduled disease. Moreover, Pig Farm, CAU, Iroisemba, Imphal West is declared as the ‘Epicentre’ of African Swine Fever (ASF).
The notification has been issued in exercise of the power under Section 6 read with Section 20 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Disease in Animals Act, 2009 ( in short the Act), it stated.
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The deputy commissioner of the aforesaid district and director, Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Services, Manipur are to initiate immediate measures under the Act and as provided under National Action Plan, 2020, it mentioned.
They will take action for control, containment and eradication of African Swine Fever in the Infected Zone covering 1km radius of infected premises, and the ‘surveillance zone’ covering 10 km radius from infected premises (or 9 km outside the ‘infected zone’) and ‘Free Zone’ beyond ‘Surveillance Zone’.
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The notification of controlled areas for African Swine Fever further mentioned that “no pig shall be moved from the place where it is kept within the controlled area and no person shall take out any animal of the notified species from the controlled area, death 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. Any person who contravenes the provisions of the Act or obstructs the competent officer performing duties under the Act shall be guilty of an offense and punishable under the Act.”
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