African Swine Fever: Shortage of work force hits the Animal Husbandry Department

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: As the African Swine Fever is wreaking havoc among the pig farmers of the State, the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department (AHVD) is facing another crisis in the form of work face shortage.

The AHVD sources stated that currently a total of 186 posts for senior officials are lying vacant which have led to the department's lacklustre performance to tackle the African Swine Fever crisis. Five Additional Director posts, 6 Joint Director posts, 46 Deputy Director posts, 40 Assistant Director posts, 42 sub-divisional rank posts, and 47 veterinary officer posts are vacant in the department.

Additionally, 310 filed assistant posts, 615 fourth grade posts, 110 third grade (office assistant) posts are vacant.

In regard to this, the employees have appealed to Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Minister Atul Bora to take measures for the progress of the department.

Meanwhile, over 15,000 pigs have died in the State due to the fever and according to the livestock census 2019, Assam has a pig population of 21 lakh. But in the recent times, various people have opted for pig farming to become self-reliant and thus compared to 2019 census the population has increased to around 30 lakh. However, now the pig farmers are in a state of crisis as many of them are not being able to repay the loans which they took to start the farming.