District Level Task Force constituted to prevent outbreak of pig disease in Hailakandi district

May 2: In view of sudden death of pigs due to “unknown” disease in different parts of Assam, the Hailakandi district administration has constituted a District Level Task Force to prevent the disease from afflicting the pig population. An order constituting the committee was issued by Deputy Commissioner, Keerthi Jalli on Tuesday. A 10-member task force headed by Additional Deputy Commissioner, Health as Chairman would monitor the implementation of the guidelines issued by the state and central governments to prevent the outbreak of the unnatural death of pigs in the district. It will also prepare a district action plan to counter the reported mysterious disease and adopt containment measures accordingly.

The District Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Officer, who is the member secretary of the task force, would convene regular meetings in consultation with the chairman to take stock of the situation and to adopt necessary preventive measures to contain the disease. The veterinary authorities here are on a massive vaccination drive of pigs against classical swine fever in Algapur, Hailakandi, Lala, Katlicherra and other parts of the district. Of the total 2,561 pigs in the district, 482 have been vaccinated.The district received 700 vaccines from the state veterinary authorities. Additional Police Super, Kulendra Nath Deka is also a part of the task force.

According to official figures, around 2,000 pigs have died in Dhemaji, North Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar and Jorhat because of the “unknown” disease. The veterinary department is still waiting for the sample results from the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal, whether the “unknown” disease afflicting the pigs in Assam is that of African swine fever.