Itanagar, Jul 7: Gabriel D. Wangsu, Minister for Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary, etc, has issued an urgent advisory to farmers across the state following forecasts of potential disease outbreaks by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology (ICAR-NIVEDI) through their National Animal Disease Referral Expert System (NADRES v2).
The advisory identifies Papum Pare District as facing a ‘very high risk’ of African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak.
Wangsu has outlined comprehensive preventive measures that pig farmers must implement immediately to safeguard their livestock and livelihoods.
"Strict biosecurity measures are the most effective way to prevent and control the disease," emphasized the Minister. He urged farmers to implement controlled access to farms with mandatory disinfection of all equipment and vehicles entering farm premises.
The advisory specifically warns against feeding swill or kitchen waste to pigs, a common practice that significantly increases disease transmission risk. Farmers have been instructed to dispose of any carcasses through deep burial with lime treatment or incineration, following proper protocols.
Movement restrictions within and outside affected zones have been mandated, with farmers required to maintain regular monitoring systems and report any unusual pig mortality to veterinary authorities immediately.
West Siang district faces an equally serious threat from Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), with risk levels assessed as ‘very high’ by ICAR-NIVEDI forecasting systems.
The Minister has called for immediate vaccination campaigns to protect cattle and other cloven-hoofed animals in the region.
The comprehensive FMD prevention strategy includes ring vaccination within an 8-kilometer radius of any suspected cases, using vaccines appropriate for circulating serotypes O, A, and Asia-1. Livestock movement controls will be strictly enforced during outbreak situations, with quarantine measures mandatory for newly introduced animals.
"Animals aged four months and older should receive biannual vaccinations to maintain immunity," stated the Minister. The advisory emphasizes immediate isolation of infected animals, as their excretions and secretions contain active virus particles capable of rapid transmission.
All feed and fodder that comes into contact with infected animals must be discarded immediately to prevent further contamination, according to the guidelines.
Speaking about the advisory, Wangsu highlighted that farmers in the state have previously suffered significant losses due to minor negligences in disease prevention protocols. "We cannot afford to take these warnings lightly. Prevention is always better and more cost-effective than dealing with full-scale outbreaks," he stated.
The Minister revealed that he maintains constant communication with renowned research institutes, including ICAR-NIVEDI, following his personal visits to these institutions to understand the latest disease forecasting methodologies and prevention strategies.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
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