CUTTACK: Protesting the restriction imposed by the State Government on pig farming to check outbreak of Japanese Encephalitis (JE), Ghusuri Chasi Surakshya Samiti has sought protection for upkeep of their hereditary profession and adequate compensation for culling of sick pigs.
Secretary of the samiti Abinash Guru said a community called ‘Ghusuria’, belonging to Scheduled Caste, depends on pig farming for livelihood. There are around 70,000 Ghusuria families in the State and 95 per cent of them depend on pig farming.
While Governments in Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh are supporting the pig farming, no such assistance is provided in Odisha.
During Swine Flu outbreak in 2007 and 2008, more than 5,000 pigs were culled. But, no compensation was provided to the affected farmers by the State Government till date, Guru alleged.ENS