African Swine Flu: Ludhiana MC sets rules for pigs transported from other states

Ludhiana municipal corporation (MC) commissioner Shena Aggarwal said traders have been directed to bring pigs transported from other states to the slaughter house of the MC in Haibowal dairy complex for checking and only then the animals should be sent to the market. African Swine Flu is a highly contagious and fatal viral disease in pigs but it does not affect humans

After the members of national advisory committee of ministry of animal husbandry submitted a memorandum with municipal corporation (MC) commissioner Shena Aggarwal regarding the spread of African Swine Flu (ASF) in other parts of the state, the civic body has imposed certain restrictions on the transportation of pigs from other states, especially from Gujarat and Rajasthan.

MC chief said the dealers have been directed to get pigs inspected at the slaughter house as a precautionary move to prevent spread of the African Swine Flu in Ludhiana city. (HT FILE)

Aggarwal said traders have been directed to bring pigs transported from other states to the slaughter house of the MC in Haibowal dairy complex for checking and only then the animals should be sent to the market.

Member of national advisory committee Sukhwinder Singh Grewal, along with member of state monitoring and implementation committee of state local body department Harbans Singh Dhalla and general secretary of Progressive Pig Farmers’ Association, Punjab, Daljinder Singh Gill submitted the memorandum to Aggarwal.

Stating that no case of AFS has been reported in Ludhiana district, Dhalla said ASF in pigs has been enlisted under the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals Act 2009.

“ASF is a highly contagious and fatal viral disease in pigs but it does not affect humans. The animal husbandry department had issued notification in this context on September 9 and the government has already declared a few areas in Patiala as ‘epicentre of disease’ in order to prevent , control and eradicate ASF. The entire state has been declared as a ‘controlled area’,” he said.

Aggarwal said the dealers have been directed to get animals inspected at the slaughter house as a precautionary move to prevent spread of the disease in the city.

No swine flu case was reported on Thursday. Till now, 23 confirmed cases and seven swine flu deaths have been reported from Ludhiana.