Animal Health and Livestock Services Act, 1999

Amended by the Some Nepal Acts Amendment Act, 2082.28. Surveillance, Inspection, and Control of Contagious Disease: (1) The Chief of Office must conduct or cause to be conducted surveillance, inspection, examination, and monitoring of animals, animal-origin substances, or animal product materials regularly as determined by the Department or at any time and at any place as necessary, in order to prevent the occurrence of a contagious disease or to prevent a contagious disease appearing in any place from spreading elsewhere.

(2) In the course of surveillance, inspection, examination, and monitoring pursuant to subsection (1), the Chief of Office or an employee deputed from the office may enter the place where animals, animal-origin substances, or animal product materials affected by or at risk of a contagious disease are located, collect samples, and conduct or cause to be conducted laboratory tests of the collected samples.

(3) If, during surveillance, inspection, examination, or monitoring pursuant to subsection (1) or (2), a contagious disease is suspected, the Chief of Office may, considering the situation where the contagious disease could spread as an epidemic, prohibit the consumption, sale, distribution, use, or transportation of any animals, animal-origin substances, or animal product materials or other related things from or through the suspected area until the laboratory test report is received.

(4) If, upon testing pursuant to subsection (2), a contagious disease is confirmed, the Chief of Office must, considering the place from which the sample was collected as the epicenter, declare the area prescribed as a contagious disease affected area as prescribed, declare the area outside such area as prescribed as an intensive surveillance zone, and carry out works related to contagious disease control.

(5) Notwithstanding anything contained in subsection (4), if a technical report is received that a contagious disease has spread to more than one province creating a situation beyond control, the Ministry of Livestock Development of the Government of Nepal shall declare the contagious disease affected area and carry out disease control works in coordination and collaboration with the concerned province and local level.

(6) If a contagious disease affected area has been declared pursuant to subsection (3), (4), or (5), the body that declared it may, as long as such declaration remains in force, issue an order prohibiting, controlling, or allowing transaction or transportation only after disinfection of livestock farming, production, processing, consumption, sale, distribution, use, and transportation of animal-origin substances, animal product materials, and other items capable of transmitting the contagious disease, in a manner that causes or spreads the contagious disease.

(7) If, during inspection or laboratory testing of animals, animal-origin substances, or animal product materials pursuant to subsections (1) and (2), a contagious disease is found, the Chief of Office or the prescribed authority may, after informing the concerned animal owner thereof, cause or have caused the disinfection of such animals, animal-origin substances, animal product materials, or other items capable of transmitting the contagious disease, and if they cannot be reused after disinfection, cause their destruction or necessary management as prescribed.

(8) If loss occurs due to destruction or management of animals, animal-origin substances, or animal product materials pursuant to subsection (7), the Government of Nepal or the Province Government may determine standards and provide relief to the concerned owner for such loss.