African Swine Fever detected in Assam's Tinsukia village; culling ordered, pork trade banned for 30 days

The Tinsukia district administration has declared an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in Simoluguri village under Kailashpur Gram Panchayat of Margherita Revenue Circle and ordered immediate containment measures, including culling operations and a temporary ban on pork trade.

According to an order issued by the District Commissioner, Tinsukia, Simoluguri village has been identified as the epicentre of the outbreak. Following the National Action Plan for Control, Containment and Eradication of African Swine Fever, a 1-km radius around the affected village has been designated as the infected zone, while areas within a 10-km radius have been declared a surveillance zone.

The Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department has been directed to carry out culling operations in the infected zone from July 21 to July 23 to prevent further spread of the disease.

The order also mandates proper disposal and sanitisation measures following the culling process, with officials required to maintain detailed records for future reference.

As part of the containment measures, all shops dealing in pork and pork-related products within the Digboi Co-District will remain closed for the next 30 days or until further orders.

The district administration has further prohibited the movement of pigs and pork-related items to and from other districts, neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh, and the sale of pork at outlets and markets in Digboi Co-District for the same period.

Authorities have warned that anyone violating the restrictions will face legal action under relevant provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The administration said the measures are aimed at containing the outbreak and preventing the spread of the highly contagious viral disease among pig populations in the region.