पशुपालन और डेयरी विभाग
The Quarantine Services are necessary to keep the country free from many exotic diseases and AQCS plays an important part to maintain the country disease freedom. The speedy travel by air has reduced the travel time which used to be an effective barrier when the transport was done by sea. Even sea travel has become quicker now-a-days and so gone all the days when the travel used to be for many days which generally exceeded the incubation period of many acute diseases thus exposing the presence of an infection in the livestock during such travel. Hence, an efficient Animal Quarantine Organization is necessary for conducting checks at the International Airports/Seaports and land routes. Because livestock may covertly carry pathogens without showing overt signs of clinical disease, they must be held in quarantine for observation and testing to establish their pathogen free status before release. Similarly, livestock products are also need to be checked technically before entering into the country. Moreover, in present circumstances AQCS can play major role in preventing illegal trade by using transplant and surgical procedures in animals. Bio terrorism is an area where AQCS can be of great help and support for other security agencies. Keeping this in view, Government of India initiated a central sector scheme namely “Animal Quarantine & Certification Services” (AQCS) during the Fourth Five Year Plan (1969-70) under which four Animal Quarantine stations were set up at Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata & Mumbai and now also in Hyderabad and Bangalore. This programme also envisage provision of an Internationally acceptable certification service for the livestock & livestock product exported to other countries from India confirming to the health requirements of the importing country or the health regulations prescribed in the International Zoo Sanitary code.
Vision
To prevent the entry of any exotic disease through international trade and travel into India and to ensure the health and safety of the animal and human life.
Mission
National Health Security: Protection of Indian animal and human population from exotic diseases through effective check on import and to ensure qualitative export.
Objectives
- i. To prevent the ingress of any Exotic Livestock Diseases into India through importation of livestock & livestock products as per the provisions of Livestock Importation Act.
- ii. To act as Defense force against ingress of exotic disease of Veterinary importance by implementing the policies pertaining to import regulation, restriction, prohibition of the livestock and livestock Products, Biological and Micro-organisms.
- iii. To provide an internationally accepted certification service for augmenting export and to increase National income.
- iv. To inspect and register the plants/mills exporting the animal by-products.
Functions
- i. Implementation of the provisions of the Livestock Importation Act and Central Government orders in force on importation and exportation of livestock and livestock products.
- ii. Detention, segregation, observation and testing of livestock and livestock products meant for import/export.
- iii. Destruction and disposal of imported livestock and livestock products found infected and posing threat to the national health security.
- iv. Pre-shipment Quality control to increase National exchequer.
- v. To have proper liaison with Custom authorities for effective and proper implementation of Livestock and Livestock Product Importation Act.
- vi. To be in close association with the State Directors of Animal Husbandry regarding disease position and surveillance.
- vii. To associate with the Heads of various recognized laboratories in India for getting expert opinion and for testing of materials.
- viii. To supervise production and packing of LSP meant for export as per the specifications of the importing countries.
- ix. Inspection and registration of plants/mills exporting the animal-by-products.
