AGARTALA:
The detection of African swine flu among pigs at a farm located at Bishalgarh Sub-division in Sepahijala district has led the government to cull 250 pigs on April 24.
While speaking with The Meghalayan, Animal Resource Development Department (ARDD) Minister Bhagaban Chandra Das said the execution of the affected pigs in the Debipur breeding farm began on Saturday and as of April 24, the culling is almost complete.
“A total of 250 pigs in the Debipur farm, including pigs and piglets, were executed after they were detected with African swine flu. Apart from these, around 30 pigs were culled in the localities falling under the one km radius of the firm,” the minister said.
An official said that senior officials of the ARDD and police officials were present during the culling.
Earlier, cases of African swine flu had been reported from Tripura on April 18, with a source in the ARDD saying that three cases had been detected on one of their farms.
“On April 7, we had sent three samples to the North Eastern Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (NERDDL) for testing and they came positive on April 13. The symptoms manifested by the pigs sheltered in the farm also indicate that the contagious disease has entered the farm. However, we are waiting for another report which will come from Bhopal’s National Disease Diagnostic institute,” a senior official had said.
The official had also informed that the department has formed two rapid response teams comprising ten people each to handle the situation.
“The teams will be led by a veterinary officer. They will directly report to the panel of nodal officers. In charge of ARDD’s Disease Investigation laboratory Mrinal Dutta and sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Bishalgarh have been included in the team of nodal officers,” the official added.
According to officials, the ARDD decided to send the samples to the NERDDL after 63 pigs died due to unknown reasons on the farm. Before the outbreak, there were 265 mature pigs and 185 piglets in the pig shed of the farm.