The municipality has ordered unorganised piggery owners to shift their livestock out of the civic body's jurisdiction by June 30 to maintain hygiene.

Motihari Nagar Parishad executive officer Kumar Vijayant has identified about 29 piggeries in the town and issued the notice on Wednesday.

Movement of pigs in monsoon might be one of the reasons behind the outbreak of epidemics such as swine flu.

"The authorities have always been concerned towards this problem," said P.C. Jha, a Motihari resident.

Vijayant said the owners have been warned of serious consequences if they fail to comply with the order. Usually, orders like this are ineffective because most of the owners are Grade IV employees," said an employee of the civic body. "The owners can put herds in chains or take them outside the city," Vijayant said.