Officials from Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Service disposing dead bodies of the pigs at the DMC Waste Disposal site, Dimapur on July 17. (Photo: @r_khing / Twitter)
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Morung Express News
Dimapur | July 17
Nagaland’s Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Service (AH&VS) Advisor, R Khing today appealed the public to be vigilant and refrain from buying pigs from unknown sources during ban on their import from outside the state.
The Advisor’s appeal came following the interception of an unregistered pickup truck, carrying 12 pigs by the Dimapur police at 3rd Mile (NH 29), in the afternoon. The pigs were reportedly smuggled into Dimapur from Assam and the police have arrested four persons in this connection.
Eight of the pigs were found dead at the time of the interception, while another died at the District Veterinary Hospital.
Taking to Twitter after the incident, Khing informed that the pigs reportedly were smuggled from Balijan, Assam.
The dead carcasses were disposed of at the DMC Waste Disposal site adhering to COVID-19 protocol.
“All SOPs (Standard operating procedure) were followed to dispose of the dead pigs,” he said.
“I appeal to the public to be vigil and refrain from buying pigs from unknown source during ban on import of pigs from outside the state,” he added.
Serums samples would be collected from live pigs, he informed, to confirm to whether cause of death was due to Classical Swine Fever or Africa Swine Fever.
Earlier, Dr KN Zubemo Humtsoe, incharge of the District Veterinary Hospital, told The Morung Express that post-mortem of the dead pigs pointed to suspected Classical Swine Fever as the cause of death.
“Serum samples will be collected from the live pigs and sent to the laboratory in Kohima for confirmatory diagnosis,” he said. He added that it would take 2-3 days for the result to arrive and after that it will be sent for further confirmatory test outside Nagaland.
He, however, added that so far, there has been no report of CSF-related swine deaths or outbreak in the district.
Meanwhile, the police were still ascertaining the origin of the illegally imported pigs. They were likely smuggled in via Balijan (under Khatkhati Police Station) skirting the three main entry points.
A private veterinarian informed that CSF is a common porcine ailment, which spreads from animal-to-animal, and is endemic to many regions across the world. It does not spread to humans; but, if left unchecked, it can have damaging economic effect on piggery.
