Prohibitory orders remain in Lakhimpur after ASF outbreak; surveillance zones set

North Lakhimpur, Oct 8: The Lakhimpur district administration on Monday clamped prohibitory orders in certain villages following reports of an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in a piggery owned by one Mantu Sonowal of Gagaldubi village under the Bogeenadi Police Station, 10 km east of the district headquarters.

The district commissioner of Lakhimpur has imposed the prohibitory orders under ‘The Prevention & Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals Act, 2009’. All villages within a one-kilometre radius of Gagaldubi village have been designated as ‘Infected Zone’ and all villages falling under a ten-kilometre radius of the epicentre have been designated as ‘Surveillance Zone’.

The order has prohibited transportation of live pigs, pig feed, or pork and pork-products out of, or into, the infected zone; banned carrying of animals from, or out of, the infected zone; disallowed transportation of any alive or dead pig which is infected or suspected to be infected with ASF; disallowed transportation of any pig feed or breeding materials or other materials – including carcass, skin or other parts or products – of animals which have come in contact with any animal that is infected or suspected to be infected with ASF; and banned holding of any animal market, animal fair, animal exhibition, or activity which involves grouping or gathering of pigs. The prohibitions may be relaxed by the veterinary officer concerned with regard to animals other than pigs if he is satisfied that, in the public interest, it is necessary to accord such relaxation.

The order has also mentioned that the chief veterinary officer or any other competent officer may issue a directive in writing for euthanasia of pigs infected with AFS to prevent the spread of the disease to other pigs of the area. The carcasses of such euthanised pigs will have to be disposed of as per the relevant guidelines to protect public health and hygiene.

The order has directed all relevant departments and local bodies to assist the veterinary officials in discharging their duties.

The order has further mentioned that any act of throwing carcasses or any body part of an infected animal into any river, lake, canal, or any other water body will be deemed to be an offence and entail punishment by imprisonment, or fine, or both. It has also called for strict compliance with bio-security measures during culling operations in the infected zones by the veterinary officer of the district. The veterinary officials have also been directed to mandatorily ensure that any mortality in pigs is recorded with specific details, and all such carcasses are disposed of by deep burial as per bio-security norms.

Correspondent