Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 08:
Along with declaring the entire country free from notifiable Avian Influenza, restriction imposed on rearing and selling of poultry products within 5 kms of the farm at Chingmeirong in Imphal East District from where the outbreak of bird flu was first reported in the State in July this year has been lifted from today.
Announcing this during a press conference at the Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry this morning, Secretary of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry KK Chhetry said the ban has been lifted following receipt of final report on the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) disease free status from the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India yesterdat.
Declaration was supposed to be announced on November 11.However, in view of the Ningol Chakkouba festival which falls on November 12, the announcement has been made four days earlier, Chhetry said, adding that precautionary measures against possible outbreak of bird flu would be, however, still taken care of.
Director of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Dr Th Dorendro who was also present at the occasion said that the exact cause of outbreak of bird flu from the Chingmeirong farm has not yet been established till now.
A total of Rs 2.43 crores had been spent on the control and containment measures and giving compensation to the poultry farmers, Dr Dorendro said, adding that over 3 lakhs domestic fowls were culled to orevent the spread of bird flu.
On the other hand, Chief Wild Life Warden AK Rana has informed that necessary instructions have been given to all officials concerned for reporting the matter to the Forest and Environment Department if they come across any dead birds in view of onset of winter and arrival of migratory birds from other parts of the world.