Principal Ageicultural Acts of the Union. 2G1 



ill possession of such ticks, etc., for tlie i)urpose of wilfully spreading 

 disease, is liable tO' imprisonment for ten years, and the onus to 

 disprove such charge rests on the accused. 



Finally, this portion of the Act provides the penalties for con- 

 travention of the Act and the regulations, defines the proc<M.lare of 

 charg*es, outlines the scope of the regulations, and allows for investi- 

 gations into the diseases by authorized persons in freedom ^roni the 

 Act and its regulations. 



The Recttt-ations. 



The chief object of the regulations is the effective control of 

 disease in infected areas and in the immediate vicinity of infected 

 areas, and this control is mainly exercised by the restriction of the 

 movements of cattle within such areas. The veterinary officers in 

 consultation with the magistrates of the districts concerned are 

 responsible for the issue of cattle removal permits, while in certain 

 districts vigilance committees composed of local farmers have been 

 formed for the purpose of advising the Department as to controlling 

 llie issue of such permits. The veterinary officer is guided l)y the 

 lecommendations of these commitlees in districts wliorc ilicy exist 

 b(4'orp deciding on the issue or refusal of a permit. 



The regulations provide for the immediate jeiiorting of lill out- 

 ])reaks of contagious or notifiable diseases within the Union to the 

 nearest government veterinary officer or police post. The locality con- 

 cerned is tlien visited by an authorized official and the owner of the 

 stock advised, by w^ritten order, as to the declaration of I he locality 

 as a suspected area (or, if the suspicion is confirmed, an " infected 

 area ") and as to the isolation of stock thereon. Such an area remains 

 in quarantine until circumstances allow of its removal, which must 

 also be advised by the written order of an official. 



It is alsO' the duty of any owner or person in charge of stock 

 travelling along a public road immediately to report any case of 

 illness oi; death of any stock to the magistrate, Government veterin- 

 any ofiicer, or justice of the peace of the district, area, or ward, or at 

 the nearest police station or police post, and also to the resident owner 

 of the land on which the sickness or death has occurred ; the owner 

 or person in charge of such stock is responsible for the proper burial 

 or destruction of dead animals. 



A Government veterinary officer is empowered to cause any stock 

 of a private owner to be destroyed for the purpose of making a post- 

 mortem examination where such stock is infected or suspected of 

 l>eing' infected wdth disease. In such cases compensation is paid, 

 excepting that no compensation is paid in respect of East Coast fever. 



The Various Diseases. 



While the method of reporting diseases and the regalations 

 governing the issue of permits in infected areas may be similar, the 

 regulations for the control and eradication of the different diseases 

 vary considerably. These diseases (notifiable under the Act) are 

 accordingly detailed hereunder, together with the special regulations 

 concerning each: — 



Anthrax. — No one must be allowed access to any animal suft'ering 

 from anthrax excejiting file person wlio has to care for it or the one 



