Staff Reporter
Guwahati: African Swine Fever (ASF) made its appearance in Assam in 2020, in recent times, and in the past five years, a total of 44,596 pigs have died due to ASF, and 8,295 pigs have been culled to prevent the spread of the disease. The ASF menace started in Assam and India during the COVID pandemic.
The information on the number of pigs that perished from ASF and those that were culled as a preventive measure was revealed in the Lok Sabha today by Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel, in response to a question raised by Assam MP Gaurav Gogoi.
In his reply, Minister Baghel stated that, as per the information received from Assam, 44,596 pigs have died due to ASF, and 8295 pigs have been culled to prevent the spread of the disease during the past five years.
Under Assistance to States for Control of Animal Diseases (ASCAD) of the Livestock Health & Disease Control Program (LHDCP), the Department provided compensation of Rs. 225 lakh for culling as per the demand of the state on a sharing basis to compensate the affected pig owners. Further, the state informed the Department that 344 farmers were compensated against culling of their pigs during last five years.
As for measures taken by the Department against ASF, the Minister said, “The National Action Plan on African Swine Fever (ASF) was formulated during 2020 for Prevention, Control, and Containment of ASF, incorporating measures such as movement control, stamping out pigs within a 1 km infected zone, cleaning and disinfection, restrictions on pig feeding, limitations on pork meat, and enhanced surveillance including biosecurity measures before and during the outbreak of disease. Advisories are issued to the states, including meetings and a visit of the central team.”
As communicated by the state of Assam, a joint DBT research project of the College of Veterinary Science, Guwahati, IIT Guwahati, and Guru Angad Dev Veterinary & Animal Science University, Ludhiana, has been initiated in respect to diagnosis, epidemiology, and vaccine development. At present, there is no vaccine available for ASF.
Moreover, the state is supporting the pig farmers by distributing animals of high genetic merit under a project called “Pig Revolution in Assam through Animals of high genetic merit (PRAtahm).”
States/UTs are financially supported for the establishment and strengthening of laboratories, research & innovation, capacity building, and training on topics like good animal husbandry practices, biosecurity/sanitary measures, vector control, etc.
During 2024-25 the state of Assam had been provided a fund of Rs 377.885 lakhs under ASCAD.
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