Culling of poultry birds underway; farmers demand welfare policy
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN
Imphal, April 22 2015 :
Mass culling of poultry birds in the Bird Flu infected zone continued on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, The Poultry Farmers and Traders Association demanded that welfare measures should be taken up for them in such an unfortunate time of outbreak of avian influenza.
Speaking to this news agency, Director Dr N Rajendro of the Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Services said that almost 80 percent of the areas of the infected zone have been covered so far in the exercise of culling of poultry birds.
The department now has set up 10 Rapid Response Team (RRT) teams to combat the outbreak, he added.
It may be mentioned that the State Government has declared areas within a 1km radius of the epicenter at ICAR Lamphelpat as infected zone and those areas within the 10 km radius as surveillance zone.
Till yesterday, the dumping site of the culled birds was arranged at the Pony Farm at Lamphelpat.
But due to some inconveniences the dumping site has been shifted to KYSPA ground in Uripok Naoremthong on the recommendation of Imphal West Deputy Commissioner.
Meanwhile, the All Manipur Poultry Farmers and Traders Association (AMPFATA) thronged the Veterinary Department at Sanjenthong to submit a memorandum to the director demanding him to formulate a welfare policy for poultry farmers and traders.