ASF hits Dibrugarh & Tinsukia, officials enforce ban at markets

Dibrugarh: African swine fever (ASF) has tightened its grip on upper Assam, with Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts reporting outbreaks within days of each other, prompting district administrations to roll out containment measures.

Preventive steps include culling operations, movement bans and the designation of infected and surveillance zones covering dozens of villages.

In Dibrugarh, the outbreak was confirmed at the farm at Romai Kordoibum village in the Lahowal area. The district administration issued a containment order on May 30.

In Tinsukia, the outbreak surfaced earlier, with Uttar Rangpuria village of Kakopathar under the Doomdooma co-district declared the epicentre. District commissioner Sumit Sattawan issued an order on May 26 directing a three-day culling operation on May 27, 28 and 29 in the designated infected zone.

To ensure the ban is being followed on the ground, a joint inspection team led by an executive magistrate and comprising animal husbandry officers, representatives from the Chapakhowa Municipal Board, Saikhowa Development Block and the police force, carried out an inspection across several markets and public areas in the Sadiya sub-district on Monday. The team covered markets under the Chapakhowa Municipality, Shantipur Gaon Panchayat, Burhaburhi Gaon Panchayat and the Dhola Bazar, Dangari Bazar and Talap Bazar areas. Copies of the govt order were displayed at all major locations, and local traders were briefed in detail about the seriousness of the situation and the strict requirement to comply with the 30-day ban.

In both districts, all pigs within the surveillance zone are being subjected to intensive clinical, virological and serological surveillance. Surveillance of pig populations in areas adjacent to forests is also being carried out in consultation with the forest department.

While the administration’s response has been swift, pig farmers in the affected areas are facing serious hardship. For many families in the villages under the infected and surveillance zones, pig rearing is their primary source of income. The sudden culling of animals, combined with the ban on sale and movement of pork, has left many farmers counting losses with no immediate relief in sight.

“We have invested everything into our pigs. We understand the need to stop the disease from spreading, but govt must think about us. A 30-day ban means 30 days of no income for our families. How are we supposed to feed our families now? We need help,” said Jugantar Moran, a pig farmer from the Kakopathar area of Tinsukia.

Farmers have raised concerns about the lack of prior awareness and preparedness. Many say they did not know about ASF or how to identify early symptoms in their animals. By the time they noticed something was wrong, the disease had spread within their farms.

However, authorities have urged public cooperation, stressing that early and strict containment is the only way to prevent the disease from spreading.

“We urge all residents, farmers and traders to report any suspicious pig deaths or illness to the local animal husbandry department immediately. Early reporting can make all the difference in containing the outbreak,” an official said.

Both orders remain in force until further notice, and the administrations of both districts have appealed to affected communities to prioritise disease containment while assuring them of taking up compensation and support demands with relevant authorities.