Amid the economic crisis because of the nationwide lockdown, a sense of panic has gripped the piggery owners in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh because of the sudden upsurge in pig deaths.

“Our entire family is dependent on pig farming and breeding. We were planning to recover the loss as soon as the lockdown would be lifted by selling their meat, skin and piglets. But the viral disease (African swine fever) has destroyed our business. We are going to kill all of the animals and bury them,” a pig farmer here said.

The Assam veterinary department has confirmed the outbreak of African fever in the state after samples sent to the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, tested positive.

The African swine fever is a severe viral disease affecting domestic and wild pigs.

Tinsukia district veterinary officer Debananda Gogoi said, “Treatment-cum-ring vaccination has been carried out in the affected areas. While 1,500 piglets have already been vaccinated in the vulnerable areas, another 1,700 doses are ready for contingency immunization.”

“The district disaster management committee of the veterinary department is ready to move anywhere within the district as and when necessary. The district has 18 veterinary dispensaries and 28 sub centres with a staff of 18 veterinary officers and 40 field staff along with grade IV employees,” he added.

Chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal and agriculture and animal husbandry minister Atul Bora and water resource minister Keshab Mahanta after reviewing the situation, has directed the officials to constitute a state-level expert committee and hold meetings with stakeholders to discuss an action plan to contain the disease.

Following the reports of unusual deaths of pigs and their test samples indicating African swine fever in nine districts of the Arunachal Pradesh, the state animal husbandry, veterinary and dairy development departments have put a complete ban on transportation of pigs and sale of pork in the state till further orders.