BIRD FLU IS AFFECTING ODISHA: PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES ADOPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT

BIRD FLU IS AFFECTING ODISHA: PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES ADOPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT 12/01/2012
ODISHA NEWS:


The State Government ordered culling of around 35,000 poultry birds in a radius of 3 kilometers from Keranga village in Khurda district following confirmation of existence of bird flu virus in the area.


On the direction of the Union Animal Husbandry Ministry, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik gave his nod in favour of culling of birds in around 19 villages of Keranga from Thursday. District Collector of Khurda and Director of Veterinary Services have already been put on the job.


Team comprising of veterinary doctors, live stock inspectors, police and forest officials today started culling of the bird population in the bird flu affected areas of Khurda district, including the only poultry farm having over 22,000 birds. The teams would move from door to door and slaughter birds with all precautionary measures.


According to nodal officer at the state-level control room at the State Secretariat Dr Gopal Tripathy, the decision to carry out the precautionary culling of birds in around 19 villages from Thursday morning was taken by chief minister Naveen Patnaik at a high-level meeting here.


The Fisheries and Animal Husbandry Department said, the culling will start with immediate effect. Compensation for the poultry farmers and owners of birds has also been announced by the Government.

Stating that an estimated 35,000 poultry birds and other domesticated birds would be culled, Dr Tripathy said that as per the compensation package Rs 50 would be given to each culled 5-month-old hen laying eggs, Rs 70 for each full grown poultry bird, Rs 30 for each chick, and Rs 35 would be given as compensation per duck.


Similarly, eggs would be destroyed as part of the preventive measures and the state government would give Rs 2 per egg and Rs 6 per kg in respect of poultry feed.


Sufficient numbers of protective masks and kits have already been placed for the teams which will carry out the culling. Over 50 teams have been set for this purpose.


As part of precautionary measures as per the advice of visiting Central experts’, team member Tarashankar Pan of the Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biology, Kolkata, the State Government also banned supply of eggs under the midday meal scheme in the schools in a 10 km radius of Keranga village.

SIDDHARTHA SHANKAR MISHRA,
BUREAU CHIEF, THESE DAYS, ODISHA