Margherita Co-District Steps Up African Swine Fever Containment Efforts Amid Rising Cases

Margherita: The Margherita Co-District Administration has intensified its campaign to contain the growing African Swine Fever (ASF) threat as infections continue to emerge in various parts of Upper Assam. On 18 November 2025, Co-District Commissioner Shri Rahul Doley, ACS, along with Dr Dibakar Sharma, Veterinary Officer of Tirapgate State Veterinary Dispensary, and Lekhapani Gaon Panchayat President Sudhisna Sharma visited multiple piggery units in Lekhapani Gram Panchayat. Their visit assessed current conditions and reviewed preventive measures adopted against ASF.

Simultaneously, Assistant Commissioner Shri Pritom Gogoi and other officials inspected 11 piggery units in Inthem Gram Panchayat. The Veterinary Department teams engaged with pig farmers, inspecting backyard farms, and educating residents on recognising early ASF symptoms. They demonstrated essential biosecurity practices, including the use of disinfectants such as potassium permanganate foot dips and bleaching powder to sanitise pig sheds and entry points.

To support containment efforts, the administration has begun distributing disinfectants free of charge in vulnerable areas prone to ASF. This initiative aims to bolster biosecurity protocols among local farmers.

ASF has inflicted grave economic damage on pig farmers across the region, spurring the administration to intensify field action. Planned future drives include further inspections, community awareness campaigns, and disinfectant demonstrations across all Gram Panchayats within Margherita Co-District.

This coordinated approach reflects the administration’s commitment to safeguarding the livestock sector and preventing further spread of this highly contagious viral disease in Upper Assam’s pig-rearing communities.

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