Punjab govt declares state 'controlled area' after African swine fever confirmed in Patiala

Chandigarh, August 20: Punjab government on Friday declared the entire state a ‘Controlled Area’ after swine samples tested positive for African swine fever in Patiala. On Friday, Punjab animal husbandry, fisheries and dairy development minister Laljit Singh Bhullar informed that the ICAR-national institute of high-security animal diseases, Bhopal, has confirmed African swine fever in swine samples of Patiala and the whole state of Punjab is declared as “controlled area”. He stated that the decision has been taken for preventing, controlling, and eradicating the scheduled disease-African Swine Fever (ASF) and that it was done in accordance with the "Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals Act, 2009." According to Bhullar, a notification has been issued in this regard, and it is now in effect. The minister, on Friday, revealed that a village Bilaspur and Sanauri Adda in Patiala are now designated as “epicentres” of the disease, adhering to "the u/s 20 of Chapter III of the same Act.” Also Read | Punjab Police crack kidnapping of Kharar student in 48 hours, 3 arrested According to Bhullar, in accordance with Chapters 7 and 8 of the "National Action Plan for Control, Containment, and Eradication of African Swine Fever (June 2020)" of the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India, these areas are hereby declared "infected zone" (0-1 Km area around disease's epicentre) and "surveillance zone" (1-10 Km area around epicentre of disease). Quoting the notification released after the confirmation of the disease, the minister said no live/dead Pig (including feral or wild pigs), unprocessed Pig meat, feed or any material/goods from the piggery farm/backyard piggery shall be taken out of or brought into the infected zone and no person shall bring or attempt to bring into the market any pig or pig products which are known to be infected with the scheduled disease, Meanwhile, inter-state movement of any pig or its belongings is also strictly banned. Also Read | Diarrhoea outbreak in Patiala, 13 cases reported in Prem Colony -PTC News