Swine fever-hit pig farmers to get compensation

SHILLONG, March 8: The affliction of the pig farmers brought about by the African Swine Fever (ASF) will soon be alleviated in the form of compensations, which is in the pipeline.
This was revealed by Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Monday during the Budget session of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.
Tynsong said that the government will dole out compensations to those livestock farmers whose pigs had died due to the disease. Responding to Congress MLA from Umroi, George B Lyngdoh, during the Question Hour, the deputy chief minister informed that Animal Husbandry and Veterinary department is working on the proposal, adding that all the affected farmers will be compensated very soon.
To another question raised by the Congress MLA earlier, Tynsong informed that a total of 540 pigs were affected due to the disease from June 25 last year to February this year.
Out of the 540 pigs, Tynsong informed that 298 are from Ri Bhoi, 96 from West Jaintia Hills, 69 from East Khasi Hills, 59 from West Khasi Hills, 11 from South West Khasi Hills and seven from East Jaintia Hills.
“We have spent a total of Rs 15.87 lakh for tackling the effects of AFS in these affected districts,” Tynsong informed, adding that Rs 2.38 lakh was also spent for taking up various measures to check the spread of the disease.
Besides these, measures such as dissemination of awareness, sanitisation, timely check-up, provision of free treatment and formation of action plans were also taken up, he said.