Meghalaya's Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has announced intensified efforts to contain the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) in the state. Restrictions have been imposed on pig transportation and trade in affected districts.
Confirmed cases have been reported in several districts, including East Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills, and Ri-Bhoi. The government has declared areas within a 1 km radius of infected premises as infected zones and areas up to 10 km as surveillance zones.
A complete ban has been imposed on the movement of live pigs, pig feed, pork, and pork products into or out of affected areas. Pig markets, slaughterhouses, and abattoirs in the affected zones have been ordered closed until further notice.
The government has also prohibited swill feeding and barred the removal of infected or dead pigs and contaminated materials from designated zones. Disposal of pig carcasses in rivers, lakes, or other water bodies will attract penalties ranging from ₹2,000 to ₹5,000.
Veterinary teams have intensified surveillance and sample collection to assess the extent of the outbreak, while the forest department has been asked to monitor wild boar populations in adjoining forest areas to prevent possible transmission between domestic and wild pig populations.
