187/2024

Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna,— To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation,—(1)

(a) Is he aware that —

(i) pigs are currently dying due to an epidemy spreading among the pigs raised on animal farms in Sri Lanka;

(ii) both small-scale and large-scale animal farms have had to be closed down completely consequent to this situation;

(iii) as no specific vaccine or medicine is available for the said disease, dying of animals in this manner is causing huge losses to the owners of these animal farms; and

(iv) no compensation or relief is being provided to these farm owners for the losses/damages that have been caused to them?

(b) Will he inform this House —

(i) whether steps will be taken to provide some compensation/relief for the animals that die because of the disease mentioned above; and

(ii) if so, of the date on which such compensation/relief will be provided?

(c) If not, why?