Violence-hit Manipur now battling African Swine Fever

Imphal: Even as Manipur continues to deal with the devastating ethnic crisis six months after it began, there has been an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) that has killed hundreds of pigs, dealing a major blow to farmers in seven districts in the northeastern state.

The Manipur Veterinary and Animal Husbandry (VAH) department has stepped up measures to combat the ASF as the contagious disease has been reported from pig farms in at least seven districts -- Imphal West, Imphal East, Ukhrul, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kakching and Kamjong.

The VAH department officials on Friday said that the latest outbreak of ASF has been confirmed at five piggery farms located at Lilong Chajing Mamang Leikei, Konthoujam Maning Leikai, Loitang Khunou, Luker and Sairemkhul in Imphal West district.

A notification issued by the Deputy Commissioner (Imphal West) on Thursday said that particular farms have been declared as epicentres and areas within one km radius of those farms as infected zones. Further, areas within a 10 km radius from those farms have been declared as surveillance zones, and all of them constitute controlled areas.

The notification strictly prohibited movement of pigs (dead or alive) in the controlled areas along with “movement and sale of pork and feed within the infected zone and materials that could have come in contact with the infected or suspected to be infected animals.”

“Culling of all pigs of the infected zone shall be done by the officials of Veterinary and Animal husbandry Department, Manipur,” it said, adding all equipment/tools as well as vehicles used in the farms that have pigs, either infected or suspected to be infected, shall be restricted from movement without protocols.

VAH Director Ibotombi Singh said that since the ASF has been confirmed in the laboratory reports, department officials and doctors are working round-the-clock to combat further spread of the epidemic.