FILE
Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Minister Atul Bora on Thursday informed that about 14,919 pigs have died of the African Swine flu in the state. He said the government has demanded ₹144 crores for the culling of pigs in Assam.
"The death rate of pigs is increasing day by day. Till now, 14919 pigs have died. We are in touch with the Government of India and it has assured us help. We have demanded ₹144 crores for the culling of pigs and compensation," he told news agency ANI today.
The infection has spread rapidly as the deaths have been reported from nine districts in Assam. The outbreak of the disease was initially detected in Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur and Biswanath districts.
This week, Bora visited the Kaziranga National Park and reviewed the steps taken to protect the wild boars from the deadly disease. A six-feet deep and two-km long canal was dug inside Agoratoli range to deter the wild boars from going to nearby villages and the domestic pigs from entering the park. Bora said the state has been apprising the Centre of
the situation regularly.
Earlier, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal had directed officials of the veterinary and forest departments to work in coordination with the National Pig Research Centre (NPRC) of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to save the animal from the disease.
According to a 2019 census by the department, the pig population in the state was 21 lakh, which has increased to around 30 lakh, Bora said.
(With agency inputs)
