Local gov't in India's Assam imposes ban on entry of poultry, pigs to prevent spread of disease

NEW DELHI, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The government of the northeastern Indian state of Assam has imposed restrictions on the entry of poultry birds and pigs from other states in a bid to prevent the spread of bird flu and African swine fever (ASF), officials said.

The decision was announced by Assam's minister of agriculture, animal husbandry and veterinary Atul Bora at a meeting on Saturday evening.

Bora has urged animal husbandry and veterinary department officials and pig and poultry farm associations to take measures to prevent the price rise of pork and chicken in the state in the wake of the ban.

This decision has been taken on a temporary basis following the outbreak of avian influenza in the states of Bihar and Jharkhand.