Manipur is now Bird-Flu free: Director
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 01 2015 :
State Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Services Director Dr N Rajendro has said that people may resume poultry farming at infected and surveillance zones with immediate effect with the Central Government declaring Manipur as a Bird-Flu free State.
Speaking to reporters at his office chamber, he said that there is however still restriction on rearing of chicks imported from Kerala, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh and Telangana as these four States had recently experienced Avian Influenza outbreak.
The Director further informed that there is also another restriction on rearing more than 50 chicks at the initial stage.
Dr Rajendro said that as a precautionary measure, the State Government would collect blood samples from infected and surveillance zones every fortnight for two months for testing at National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) of Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Bhopal.
In this regard, the Director appealed to the public to extend cooperation to Government officials.
Regarding compensation, Dr Rajendro said that the process is on and his Department has written to the State and Central Governments regarding the matter.
As such, the Department would make necessary announcement in the media as soon as possible, he said.
The Director said that the Central Government declared Manipur along with Kerala, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh and Telangana as Bird-Flu free States through an official notification on July 29 .
He said that all the samples collected from the infected and surveillance zones of the State tested negative at NIHSAD.
Bird-Flu outbreak was reported in the State on April 18 at ICAR complex Lamphelpat.
Under Central Government's guidelines, the State Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Services constituted 18 rapid response teams to tackle the situation.
Culling of fowls, eggs and poultry feed began on April 19 within the radius of 10 km from ICAR complex and continued till April 29, he said.
Altogether, 20,874 fowls, 2,365 eggs and 5759 kg of poultry feed were culled at five different locations, the Director said.
1346 samples sent to NIHSAD on four different occasions from May 4 to June 27 tested negative.