Manipur monitors illegal import of livestock

IMPHAL, September 11: Necessary steps are on to prevent the trans-boundary animal disease in Manipur particularly at Moreh, a commercial border town on the Indo-Myanmar international border. The step has been taken following the detection of swine fever among pigs. Disclosing this, Principal Disease Investigator, Dr Ng Ibotombi of the state veterinary and animal husbandry department said that the matter will be intimated to the concerned authorities to monitor the ‘illegal import’ of livestock from across the border besides giving awareness to the farmers. Reacting to news report on outbreak of classical swine flu, Dr Ibotombi clarified that the department officials detected classical swine fever (not swine flu) among the pigs at the ward number 7 and 9 of Moreh border town. “Immediately after the detection of the disease, a team from Imphal rushed to the area and started giving anti-biotic and supportive therapy. Now all the ailing pigs numbering around 14 are responding to the treatment,” he said. Around 20 pigs were reportedly died in and around Moreh town due to swine fever in the last four days. The team also conducted a ring vaccination around the affected area to prevent further spread and advised the farmers of Moreh to prevent illegal import of livestock from across the border and disposed off the death carcass properly. It may be mentioned that the state authority has been preventing illegal import of livestock from across the border since the past one decade until and unless a well equipped livestock quarantine is constructed at the border town. However there are reports of importing pigs and cattle illegally as pork and beef is widely consumed in Manipur particularly in the five hill districts. Meanwhile, a senior Congress leader and sitting MLA Yumkham Erabot on Saturday announced that he will resign from the All India Congress Committee. Elected sixth times as MLA of which four times on congress since 1984, Erabot who also had held different Ministerial portfolios including Food and Civil Supplies, Education and Public Health Engineering Department, told reporters here that he took the decision following a request from his Wangkhei constituency supporters. “Now I will take future course of action after consulting my supporters,” former minister added.