HT Correspondent
TEZPUR, March 25: Amid concerns over the detection of African Swine Fever (ASF) in Sonitpur, the district administration has issued a prohibitory order to prevent the spread of the disease among the pig population. The order, issued under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, aimed to contain the virus and safeguard public health and the livestock industry.
The directive followed a request from the District Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Officer, Sonitpur, and is based on the Prevention & Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals Act, 2009. In the district, the identified epicenter of the ASF occurrence is a farm complex of Nitin, in No 4 Gormara village, near No. 2 Panipota TE, under Balipara Block.
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To curb the spread of ASF, the administration has categorized affected areas into two zones: the Infected Zone, within a 1-km radius of the epicenter, and the Surveillance Zone, covering a 10-km radius around the epicenter.
“Key restrictions in the Infected Zone include, no live Pig or Pig feed or Pork or Pork products shall be allowed to be taken out of or brought into the Zone. No carrier of goods or Animals shall carry any Animals from or out of the infected Zone. Carriage of Animals (Pigs) through roadways or railways through the declared infected Zone is however allowed subject so long the Animal is not unloaded in any place within the zone till the issuance of sanitization certificate by the competent Veterinary authority. No person is allowed to take out any Pig alive or dead which is infected or suspected to be infected from African swine fever (ASF). No person is allowed to carry Pig feed or bedding materials or other materials namely carcass, skin or other parts or product of such animal which has come in contact with any Animal infected or suspected to be infected from African Swine Fever (ASF).
No person, organisation or institution shall hold any Animal market, Animal fair, Animal exhibition and carry on any activity which involves grouping or gathering of Pigs within the Zone. Provided that the competent Veterinary Officer may suo moto or on application made to him in this behalf, relax the provision in relation to other species of Animals other than Pigs, if he is satisfied that in the public interest it is necessary to accord such relaxation. No person shall bring or attempt to bring in to the market, fair, Exhibition or other congregation or to any public place any of Pigs which are infected or suspected to be infected with African swine fever (ASF).
The Chief Veterinary Officer or competent Officer, if he/she thinks fit that and an animal (Pig) which if infected with a African swine fever (ASF) and euthanasia has to be resorted to, for preventing the spread of the disease to other Pigs of the area, will issue direction in writing for euthanasia of the Animal in the infected Zone and carcass to be disposed of by any manner to proceed the public health and hygiene. Whoever places or causes or permits to be placed in any river, lake, and canal or any there water body, the carcass or any part of the carcass of any Animal which at the time of death was known to be infected, shall be guilty of an offence and punishable by imprisonment or fine or both,” the order stated.
Likewise, measures in the “Surveillance Zone” include, all villages falling under the 10 (Ten) KM radii of the foci of infection are also to be notified as “Surveillance Zone”. All restrictions applicable in the Infected Zone will also apply to the Surveillance Zone, except for euthanasia (Clause 8). All the pigs under the “Surveillance Zone” will be subject to intensive surveillance, which will include clinical surveillance, Biological surveillance, and serological surveillance. Intensified surveillance on the domestic pig population adjacent to forest areas will be carried out in consultation with the forest department.
The prohibitory order takes effect immediately and will remain in force until further notice. Violation of the order will attract penalties under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. The district administration urges pig farmers, traders, and the general public to comply with the regulations to control the outbreak effectively.
