• Bikash Rabha, NET Correspondent, Assam

Udalguri, October 30, 2021 : More than 50 pigs are reported to have succumbed due to African Swine Fever (ASF) in Khoirabari under Udalguri district.

Well-informed farmer & the owner of a pig-farm at Khoirabari, Kuljyoti Saharia has been farming improved varieties of pigs for about three years.

Conferred with ‘Best Farmer Award’, presented by the District Administration, Saharia is said to be the sole-owner of his family.

But witnessing the unfortunate deaths of around 25 large pigs, and incurring a loss of Rs 15-20 lakhs have left him heartbroken.

According to the post-mortem examination report carried out by a local veterinarian, these pigs were confirmed to have died, after been contracted to ASF.

Receiving the inputs, the administration immediately notified the pig farm as an ‘African Swine Fever Infected Zone’.

Udalguri District Commissioner also reached the spot for assessing the current scenario.

It’s pertinent to note that, a government special team on Sunday will kill around 45 pigs, including 26 piglets and three female pigs of the aforementioned pig farm.

Meanwhile, the authorities have asked the team to bury these carcasses in a faraway region.

The district administration further directed the team to totally exhaust all the pigs in the farm.