A total of three pig farms in Imphal East, Manipur have been declared as the epicentre of African Swine Fever (ASF) by the state government on Wednesday.
Office of the deputy commissioner, Imphal East notified that the Manipur Veterinary and Animal Husbandry department’s notice dated Tuesday confirmed outbreak of ASF among the pigs in Imphal East, Imphal West, Kamjong, Bishnupur and Thoubal district based on laboratory report, thereby notifying certain areas of the districts as controlled area for ASF.
The areas declared as epicentre of the outbreak of ASF in Imphal East are pig farm owned by one Salam Dineshor at Sekta Makha Leikai; farm belonging to one N Johnson Meitei at Moirang Kampu and pig farm of one Laitonjam Paikhomba at Sawombung Wairi, it informed.
ALSO READ: African Swine Fever: Pigs buried in Kakching
With the Veterinary & Animal Husbandry Department confirming the outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in pigs at the farm of Naorem Rajesh Meetei, Kongkham Awang, Bishnupur District and in view of the impending threat of the disease, District Magistrate, Bishnupur has issued containment measures to prevent spread of the disease in the area.
Under section 6 of the "Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals Act, 2009", Lourembam Bikram, District Magistrate/DC, Bishnupur District notified as "Controlled Areas" for African Swine Fever (ASF) at the farm of Naorem Rajesh Meetei, Kongkham Awang, Bishnupur District with immediate effect.
The notifications asserted that the mentioned epicentres and areas within 10 km radius of each epicentre are required to be declared as controlled areas for ASF with immediate effect to prevent, control and eradicate the scheduled disease.
ALSO READ: Swine fever spreads across valley, ban on sale of pork in Manipur
As per the provision of the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Disease in Animals Act, 2009, areas within 1 km radius each from the pig farms of Salam Dineshor at Sekta Makha Leikai, N Johnson Meitei at Moirang Kampu and Laitonjam Paikhomba at Sawombung Wairi has been declared as infected zones, it said.
It further mentioned that areas within 10 km radius each from the pig farms of the trio have also been declared as surveillance zones.
The notification further prohibited movement of pigs (dead or alive), movement and sale of pork and feed within the infected zone and materials that could have contacted the infected or suspected to be infected animals. It also said that culling of all pigs of the infected zone will be done by the officials of Manipur Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department by following proper protocols and all equipment/tools as well as vehicles used in the farms that have pigs, either infected or suspected to be infected, will be restricted from movement without following proper protocols.
Any person(s) who contravenes the provisions of the Act or obstructs the competent officer performing duties under the Act will be held guilty of an offence and punishable under the Act, it added.
