Author name: OnlineAge

SHILLONG  (PTI) : Meghalaya government has intensified efforts to contain the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) and imposed restrictions on pig transportation and trade in affected districts, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said on Wednesday. Sangma said the outbreak was being closely monitored and immediate measures had been put in place to prevent the disease from spreading further. “This has been a problem in the past also. We are monitoring the situation and taking immediate action. The department is taking measures to ensure that ASF doesn’t spread on a large scale,” he told reporters. According to officials, confirmed cases have been detected in Pynursla and Mawlai blocks of East Khasi Hills district, Mawthadraishan block of West Khasi Hills district, Umsning and Bhoirymbong blocks in Ri-Bhoi district, Mairang block of Eastern West Khasi Hills district, as well as at the Regional Pig Breeding Farm in Kyrdemkulai. The affected villages include Urksew Wahpathaw, Mawkajem, Mawlai Mawkynroh, Nongkasen, Kyrdemkulai, Lum Umpih, Mawkyrdep and Mawphanniew. Invoking provisions of the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals Act, 2009, the animal husbandry and veterinary department has declared areas within a 1 km radius of infected premises as infected zones, while areas extending up to 10 km have been designated as surveillance zones. A complete ban has been imposed on the movement of live pigs, pig feed, pork and pork products into or out of affected areas. Pig markets, slaughterhouses and abattoirs in the affected zones have been ordered closed until further notice. Authorities have also prohibited swill feeding using kitchen or restaurant waste and barred the removal of infected or dead pigs and contaminated materials from designated zones. Officials said disposal of pig carcasses in rivers, lakes or other water bodies would attract penalties ranging from Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000, while repeat offenders could face imprisonment of up to three months. Carcasses are required to be disposed of through deep burial with lime cover as per veterinary guidelines. Farm owners have been directed to maintain strict biosecurity protocols, restrict visitor access and ensure proper cleaning and disinfection of vehicles operating in affected areas. Veterinary teams have intensified surveillance and sample collection to assess the extent of the outbreak, while the forest department has been asked to monitor wild boar populations in adjoining forest areas to prevent possible transmission between domestic and wild pig populations. The government has also appealed to village dorbars, dollois, nokmas, municipalities and other local bodies to cooperate with veterinary officials and rapid response teams engaged in containment efforts. Farmers in disease-free areas outside surveillance zones have been advised to confine their animals, prevent contact with wild boars and stray animals, maintain strict hygiene standards and immediately report any unusual illness or mortality to veterinary authorities, officials said. (Source: PTI)    

SHILLONG : Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Wednesday said the state is undertaking major reforms in the education sector to improve learning outcomes and quality of schools, as he reviewed its progress under the national Performance Grading Index (PGI) framework. Chairing a high-level meeting with officials of the education department, Sangma assessed the state’s PGI performance and reviewed initiatives to strengthen the education ecosystem, including investments in foundational learning, school infrastructure, vocational education, digital governance and student welfare. The 2022-23 PGI ranking put Meghalaya among the worst-performing states in the country “We have ensured that every child has access to a school. Our next goal is to ensure that every school delivers the highest quality of learning,” Sangma said. He said directions have been issued to the education department to put in place a focused strategy and stronger mechanisms to improve performance, learning outcomes, and build on our commitment for infrastructure improvements in schools in order to ensure the state achieves a better PGI ranking in the coming years. Officials informed the meeting that the state’s extensive network of nearly 14,600 schools reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring access to education even in remote areas, making it one of the most accessible schooling systems in the Northeast. The review highlighted that learning outcomes, which carry the highest weightage under the PGI framework, remain a key focus area. “The government is implementing several initiatives to strengthen foundational literacy and numeracy, improve classroom teaching and provide greater support to students,” a senior education official said. The meeting also reviewed ongoing efforts to upgrade school infrastructure, including the establishment of science laboratories, ICT facilities, smart classrooms, libraries, kitchen gardens, rainwater harvesting systems, drinking water facilities and solar-powered infrastructure. Officials said vocational and skill-based education is being expanded through the community skill integrated curriculum, which introduces practical and skill-oriented learning to students from primary to secondary levels. The government is also strengthening student welfare measures, including improvements to the midday meal programme and the installation of sanitary pad vending machines and incinerators in girl schools. The meeting reviewed efforts to improve digital governance and educational data systems through better reporting, Aadhaar integration, digital compliance and institutional record management, aimed at ensuring educational progress is accurately reflected in national assessment frameworks. Officials also highlighted progress under the school rationalisation programme, under which 3,198 of the state’s 14,582 schools have already been merged or consolidated to optimise teacher deployment and improve resource utilisation. An official said Meghalaya’s PGI score largely reflects structural, administrative and data-reporting challenges and does not accurately represent the talent and potential of the state’s children. The chief minister directed the department to continue adopting a scientific and data-driven approach to improving educational performance through regular assessments, evidence-based interventions and stronger coordination between schools, districts and the state government, officials said. (Source: PTI)