Due to the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak in Gahia village in the Sarukhetri development block, the sale of pigs and meat was prohibited in Assam’s Barpeta district on Friday. To stop the infection from spreading, Diganta Baishya, the District Magistrate (In-charge) of Barpeta, has used Section 16 of the Assam Epidemic Disease Act, 2023, to prohibit the sale of pigs, piglets, pork, and associated goods. In addition, pig transportation is prohibited both inside and outside the district, with the exception of travel over the National Highway. People have been rigorously forbidden from disposing of pig carcasses in open fields, water bodies, or other exposed areas, highlighting the possibility of the virus spreading further.
Within one kilometer of the impacted area, gatherings of four or more individuals are prohibited. Furthermore, under the applicable legislation, it will be illegal to conceal from veterinary or district officials information about pig fatalities or the onset of ASF symptoms. In order to safeguard animal health and avert a more serious situation, the Barpeta district administration has urged the people to cooperate in following these precautions. It also cautioned that failure to comply with the issued prohibitory orders would result in legal action under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
