The THD NewsDesk, Guwahati: Chief Minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal has ordered to cull around 12,000 pigs on Wednesday. Deadly African Swine Fever has taken the lives of 18,000 pigs till now across districts in the State. “As a result of the culling operation, the loss incurred by the farmers will be adequately compensated,” Sonowal said.
A senior official of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department told PTI that,
“Chairing a meeting with department officials, the chief minister said that in compliance with the guidelines of the Centre and the state government, and adhering to experts’ opinion, culling of the infected swine population in all the affected districts should be completed before Durga Puja.”
He also added that the culling drive will be carried out within a one-kilometre radius of 30 epicentres across the 14 affected districts.
Upon asking about the compensation, the official said that it would be added to the bank accounts of the owners. And also a proposal asking for financial assistance to the owners of the 18,000 pigs is submitted to the government.
CM Sonowal in the meeting said the first instalment of the fund has already been released by the Central Government and will be transferred to the owner’s accounts at the earliest. He has also asked the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department to run a sanitation drive in the 14 affected districts.
The meeting also highlighted the supply of pigs from the different parts of the country with proper precautionary measures.
Agriculture Minister Atul Bora said Xizang province in China, bordering Arunachal Pradesh witnessed the first case in February end this year, but the origin was in April 2019.
There is no human health threat from the African Swine Fever and has first originated in Kenya in 1921. The outbreak of the disease in this part of the country is sporadic.
