Tangerang regency bans piggeries

TANGERANG: Tangerang regency has imposed a ban on piggeries in Legok district following the recent outbreak of bird flu, Antara reported on Thursday.

Regent H. Ismet Iskandar said that the move was necessary as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of avian influenza as during the last bird flu scare some pigs had been found to be infected by the virus.

Legok was later declared free of bird flu after the infected animals, as well as fowl in the area, were culled, he added.

Rumors that a Jakarta firm wanted to open a plant to process pig meat, milk and waste products for fertilizer recently caused unrest in Legok and Kresek districts. Ismet, however, assured the public that no such factory would be permitted in there. --JP