India (incl. West Bengal) - Poultry (December 2008 -)

[HenryN]

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Culling in Malda expected to be over tonight
Kolkata | Friday, Dec 19 2008 IST


Culling in bird flu-hit Malda district is expected to be over by tonight as the operation gained momentum overcoming initial hiccups.
''Culling of the targeted 25,000 birds will be over by tonight.
The avian flu has been contained and the situation is under control,'' Animal Resources Development Minister Anisur Rehman said.
Informing that there was no report of human infection, the Minister said mopping up operation would start tomorrow.
However, local reports said four boys, between 12 to 14 years, had fallen ill in the locality and their sickness was yet to be identifed. The boys were volunteering in culling operation.
Mr Rehman said veterinary workers had culled about 17,000 chickens and ducks at Narhatta and Satgheria villages under English Bazar police station till last night as 30 teams of altogether 150 workers were continuing the operation.
The operation was earlier impeded following local resistance as workers arrived without compensation money.
In March last, about 50,000 birds were killed alone in Malda, when bird flu hit 14 of the 19 districts of the state prompting the authorities to cull altogether three million poultry.
With the disease plaguing the state second time in a year, the authorities were trying to ascertain whether migratory birds could be the possible carrier of the deadly virus.
''We have asked the authorities to keep a watch on the migratory birds in zoos and sanctuaries, like Kulik near Raiganj in north Bengal. We are trying to ascertain what caused the outbreak in Malda district which was one of the worst-hit in the last bird flu attack,'' he said.
The Minister said there was no bar on consumption of poultry products, except for the 3-km radius of the affected areas.
Meanwhile, death of four birds were reported at Kopai village near Bolpur under Birbhum district. Animal Resources Development personnel collected the blood samples and carcasses for investigation, official sources said.
However, SDO (Bolpur) Sunil Ranjan Sikdar said there were no reports of bird flu in Bolpur sub-division, adding the death of birds was a normal phenomenon occuring in the winter.
Ruling out the untimely death of 56 new-born chicks at Khongram under Murshidabad district during the past two days owing to bird flu, Deputy Director of Animal Husbandry Department in Beharampur Manik Das said the birds were diagnosed with diseases other than the dreaded ailment.
Incidence of avian flu in Malda was confirmed on December 15 after blood samples of the dead poultry sent to the High Security Animal Diseases Laboratory in Bhopal had tested positive.

-- (UNI) -- 19CA41

http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20081219/1132818.html

 

[HenryN]

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Over 20,000 poultry culled in West Bengal
December 20th, 2008 - 6:57 pm ICT by IANS -
Kolkata, Dec 20 (IANS) Over 20,000 poultry have been culled since Tuesday in West Bengal?s bird flu-hit Malda district, a state minister said Saturday.?Veterinary workers have culled over 20,000 chickens and ducks till Saturday afternoon at Narhatta and Satgheria villages under English Bazar police station in Malda,? animal Resources Development (ARD) minister Anisur Rehman told IANS Saturday.
Rehman said the culling operation is likely to be over by Saturday night.
?The culling operation should have been over Friday. But due to some bureaucratic problems it had to be continued till Saturday. It is likely to be over by Saturday night. We will begin a two-day mopping up operation in the affected areas Sunday,? Rehman said.
The minister further said there has been no untoward incident during the culling operation so far.
The ARD had set a target of culling about 25,000 poultry in the affected areas of Malda, about 350 km from here.
Veterinary workers, wearing white protective suits, gloves and masks, started the culling operations Tuesday after blood samples of dead poultry sent to the High Security Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Bhopal had tested positive for avian flu.
In January, over 200,000 poultry birds were culled in several West Bengal districts. An outbreak of bird flu had been detected at Malda in March and more than 50,000 birds were culled. This is the second time the disease has hit the district.

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal...-poultry-culled-in-west-bengal_100133312.html

 

[HenryN]

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Commentary at

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/12200802/H5N1_WB_Poultry.html

 

[HenryN]

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Migratory birds find a temporary home at Fulbari Bird Sanctuary
Posted by admin in Features
0 Comments By Taruk Sarkar
Jalpaiguri (West Bengal), Dec 20 (ANI): Fulbari Bird Sanctuary in Jalpaiguri District of West Bengal is playing host to hundreds of migratory birds flocking the reserve during winters.
?These birds arrive from far off places. We watch them when they are here. Foreigners who visit this sanctuary also love watching them,? said Sanatan Majhi, a resident.
Bird lovers from across the country visit these sanctuaries to get a glimpse of some of the rare species of birds in the world.
?Tourists come during the winter season. They stay here till March,? said Sanatan Majhi, another resident.
Among all the other states, West Bengal provides a major home for these migratory birds.
Compared to West Bengal, Northern Bengal is most accountable. The forest department here along with the state tourism ministry has set up some natural bird sanctuaries where birds from Siberia, Canada and other western nations gather in the winters.
The major birds seen here are Siberian Cranes, Greater Flamingo, Ruff,Common Teal, Yellow Wagtail, Black Tailed Godwit and Long Billed Pipit.
Hundreds of species of birds from western countries make their way to India during the winters.
In order to save themselves from the Northern cold waves these migratory birds cross hundreds of miles to reach the Indian subcontinent. After staying here for three to four months these birds make their way back to their respective countries.
It is estimated that over hundred species of migratory birds fly to India, either in search of feeding grounds or to escape the severe winter of their native habitat. The numerous wildlife sanctuaries set up in the country serve as their temporary habitat. (ANI)

http://www.newspostonline.com/featu...-home-at-fulbari-bird-sanctuary-2008122020373

 

[HenryN]

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

More birds culled in West Bengal's Malda district

Malda, WB (PTI): More than 3,000 poultry birds were culled on Saturday evening in six villages of Old Malda block in Malda district of West Bengal.
Deputy Director of Animal Resources Department Nikhil Kumar **** said, "Mostly pet chickens were culled this evening as they are difficult to catch during daytime. These villages close to Satgharia village, the epicentre of bird flu outbreak in the district, were left out."
He said 2,000 more birds have to be culled on Sunday as Poultry Census Report of 2003 estimates the presence of 5,000 pet chickens in the villages.
Earlier, more than 20,000 chickens were culled in 24 villages of Narhatta and Kotwali gram panchayat of English Bazar block in the district where culling and mopping operations were continuing simultaneously.
Observers from Kolkata and NICED in Delhi advised District Magistrate Sridhar Kumar Ghosh on the last day of culling in Malda on Saturday to seek more time to complete killing of birds in the six villages.
Officials said 287 more chicken were killed during mopping operations.
However, a group of women overpowered the members of culling teams and snatched away chicken in Babupur village of the district.
Officials said awareness campaigns on birdflu outbreak and the avian influenza virus continued earlier in the day and culling operations of pet chickens resumed late in the afternoon and went on till night.
The DM said culling was carried out in some villages under Mahispathani gram panchayat area in Old Malda block.
Mopping up operation was carried out in 24 villages under Narhatta and Kotwali gram panchayat of English Bazar Block where culling had been complete, he told PTI. Asked about media reports of death of large number of birds and chicken in Alinagar area under Bargachi-I gram panchayat of Gajole block, Ghosh said, "No fresh report of any deaths of large number of birds and chicken were reported from this place."

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200812202211.htm

 

[HenryN]

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

<TABLE width=995><TBODY><TR><TD class=tdtxt7>December 20,2008</TD><TD>Print</TD></TR><TR><TD class=newseditor2 colSpan=2>Source: PTI</TD></TR><TR><TD class=newsPrintHeading colSpan=2>Close watch on migratory birds in Jharkhand</TD></TR><TR><TD class=newsPrint colSpan=2>


Ranchi, Dec 20 (PTI) With bird flu returning to neighbouring West Bengal, Jharkhand has been keeping a close watch on migratory birds at various places with the onset of winter, official sources.
said today.
The Animal Husbandry Department has initiated precautionary measures at several places, particularly in Santhal parganas, where a couple of districts share border with West Bengal, sources said here. PTI PVR AMD AMD
12202234 kolkata.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

http://www.indopia.in/India-usa-uk-news/print-458631.html

 

[HenryN]

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="90%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=2></TD></TR><TR align=left><TD>Vaccination for Birbhum birds
Statesman News Service
SURI, Dec. 20: Following reports of poultry deaths from Birbhum's Rampurhat and Bolpur block areas, the Animal Resources Development department (ARD) has started a mass vaccination programme in the entire district. Household poultry birds will be vaccinated under the programme.
ARD authorities have directed all block livestock development officers (BLDO) to start the programmes immediately. All birds are to be vaccinated within seven days. At least 18 per cent of the vaccinations are supposed to be completed by this evening.
Officials said that currently the vaccination programme has been carried out in 20 mouzas of Nalhati I and 15 mouzas of Rampurhat I block area. A final report in this regard is expected to come by Monday. ?Birds that are 45 days old or younger will be vaccinated by using the RDF1 vaccine that prevents the outbreak of Ranikhet disease. Birds that have crossed 45 days will be administered the R2B vaccine,? a senior ARD official said.
While the district administration assured that there were no new death reports from anywhere in the district today, surveillance work in the two blocks from where poultry death reports were received have been initiated by the ARD. Teams have already started collecting blood samples of birds as a part of their routine surveillance. ?There have been no reports of bird deaths today. Other than the ARD's surveillance, the state health department has also started surveillance work. The three sub-divisional hospitals of the district have been asked to prepare isolation wards like last year when there was a bird flu outbreak here,? said Mr Bisheswar Maity, district magistrate, Birbhum.
Meanwhile, in Malda, poultry culling began in six moujas of Old Malda block today. Located within a three km radius of Satgharia village, epicentre of the recent bird flu outbreak in the district, the six moujas were included in the culling map on Friday. ?At least 5,000 birds would have to be culled in the six left out moujas of Old Malda,? said Mr NK ****, deputy director, ARD, Malda. But concern has spread following reports that evading culling teams, some villagers had brought poultry to the Nawabganj Haat in Old Malda block on Wednesday from the affected villages such as Durgapur and Anandipur and had sold them. The administration is investigating the matter.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=6&theme=&usrsess=1&id=237004

 

[HenryN]

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Over 22,000 poultry culled in bird flu-hit Malda
Dec 21st, 2008 | By Sindh Today | Category: Health
Kolkata, Dec 21 (IANS) Over 22,000 poultry birds have been culled since Tuesday in West Bengal?s bird flu-hit Malda district, a state minister said Sunday.
?About 22,500 chickens and ducks have been culled till Saturday night at Narhatta and Satgheria villages under English Bazar police station in Malda district,? Animal Resources Development (ARD) Minister Anisur Rehman told IANS Sunday.
?Major part of the culling operations were over Saturday night. Whatever little is left, veterinary workers will complete by Sunday night.?
?Simultaneously we have started the mopping up operations Sunday that will continue till Monday,? Rehman said.
The ARD had set a target of culling about 25,000 poultry birds in the affected areas of Malda, about 350 km from here.
Veterinary workers, wearing white protective suits, gloves and masks, started the culling operations Tuesday after blood samples of dead poultry sent to the High Security Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Bhopal tested positive for avian flu.
In January, over 200,000 poultry birds were culled in several West Bengal districts.
This is the second time the disease has hit Malda district. An outbreak of bird flu had been detected in the district in March and more than 50,000 birds were culled.

http://www.sindhtoday.net/health/44924.htm

 

[Shiloh]

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Source: http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=10&theme=&usrsess=1&id=237080

Locals come in way of culling?

Statesman News Service
MALDA, Dec 21: The district animal resources development (ARD) officials fear that some birds would be left unculled in the Bird Flu affected zone even after the culling and mopping operation, principally due to non cooperation of the locals.
The ARD officials are facing difficulties to complete the culling and mopping operations within the stipulated time in the English Bazaar and the Old Malda block areas due to the resistance of the villagers. Besides, the department does not have the required equipment to trap the backyard chickens. Lack of coordination with other departments also seems to be affecting the operation. In course of the moping up operations, the ARD officials found that many birds were kept away from the glare of the mopping workers in the 13 moujas under the English Bazaar block.
The mopping teams succeeded in slaughtering 257 chickens till late last evening. Today, they found that many birds were roaming about the areas. The district administration claimed to have culled a total of 20,875 birds during the culling operation in 13 moujas of English Bazaar block.
At Babupur village where ARD officials could not trap a single bird yesterday due to the resistance by a group of women, they managed to kill 25 backyard chickens today. At Babupur, when ARD officials trapped a few birds a group of women chased the officials and snatched the trapped birds form them yesterday. The ARD officials had to leave the area in the face of the stiff resistance.
?Mopping job has proved more difficult than culling due to lack of equipment. Though it was decided that forest officials would extend cooperation to trap birds with the help of a net, no such equipment has been supplied to trap backyard chicken?, complained a supervisor of the mopping teams.
According to him, the villagers did not hand over all the birds to the culling team members. ?Almost every family has kept two to three birds at their home kept secretly and those birds will be left out after the end of mopping in the affected areas,? he said.
The Malda district magistrate Mr Sridhar Ghosh admitted the problem being posed by the local resistance and asked the officials not to slacken the culling and mopping work in the face of resistance.
Expressing satisfaction over the culling operations, the state health observer, Dr Gopal Chandra Chakraborty said that the lapses would be covered up during the mopping. The ARD officials may begin mopping in Old Malda from tomorrow. Mopping would continue in English Bazaar tomorrow. The total sanitation and disinfection work would have to be completed by 25 December.

 

[Shiloh]

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Source: http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=10&theme=&usrsess=1&id=237081

Cops step up vigil to stop birds from leaving district

Statesman News Service
RAIGANJ, Dec. 21: North Dinajpur district administration imposed Section 144 of the CrPc to stop the transportation of chickens, ducks, eggs and poultry feed from the bird flu affected areas of Malda district yesterday.
Teams of animal husbandry department officials and police have been deployed at different spots of Itahar block which is situated along the Malda border.
Members of Uttar Dinajpur Boiler Khamar Samannai Samity submitted a memorandum to SDO Raiganj, Mr Animesh Bhattacharjee, yesterday morning in which they claimed that chickens, eggs and poultry feed were being transported to North Dinajpur district every day from the flu-affected areas of Malda. After being informed, Mr Bhattacharjee imposed Section 144 of the CrPc.
"To stop the transport of chickens and other poultry items from the bird flu-affected areas of Malda, special teams have been deployed at Baidara check post and Churamon ghat in Itahar. Raiganj Social forestry division officials have been told to keep vigil on the migratory birds of Kulick Bird Sanctuary. In case of any bird illnesses, officials of the district animal husbandry department must be informed," Mr Bhattacharjee said.
The Divisional Forest Officer of Raiganj Social Forestry Division, Mr Ashis Sen said: "This year around 90,000 birds turned up at Kulick Bird Sanctuary. But most of them already flew away. A very small numbers of them are remaining in the forest."

 

[Shiloh]

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Source: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1081222/jsp/siliguri/story_10285689.jsp

DM seeks party help for smooth culling
OUR CORRESPONDENT

Malda, Dec. 21: The Malda district administration has turned to political parties in the bird-flu affected areas of the Narhatta gram panchayat to make mop-up operations incident-free.

Malda district magistrate Sridhar Ghosh said he had instructed the subdivisional officer of Englishbazar to get in touch with local political leaders so that the culling teams did not face resistance in the final stages of the operation.

?In the six mouzas, where culling started yesterday, 1,788 chickens were killed. In the rest of the 13 mouzas, mop-up is on. We are having a problem catching the poultry (most villagers have released the chickens from their coops). There have been some sporadic incidents of resistance and the subdivisional officer is coordinating with the political parties so that they are not repeated,? the district magistrate said.

Some villagers from Narhatta, 12km from here, alleged that on Friday the animal resources development (ARD) department had run out of money for compensation and many of them went back home with their chickens. Yesterday, when the culling teams revisited Narhatta, they announced that no money would be given for the mop-up. This angered people like Samima Bibi from Babupur, who had charged at Dilip Kar, a vet leading a culling team, with a chopper.

Samima said she had waited with their poultry for an hour before the culling team on Friday evening.

?Around 8pm, one of the team members told us that no more chickens would be taken for culling as they had run out of money. Yesterday when the team returned to our village, the same man told us that no compensation would be paid,? Samima said.

Ashok Mondol, a CPM gram panchayat member of Narhatta, held the ARD department responsible for the misunderstanding. ?The awareness level of the villagers (about the culling) is low and the teams should have explained what mop-up was all about. Now the situation is such that each chicken has to be hunted out. Once the villagers came to know that they will not be paid any money, they released their poultry,? Mondol said.

The district magistrate has denied the allegation that villagers have not been compensated. ?We are not short of money. The BDOs were always prompt in reaching the compensation.?

The ARD minister, Anisur Rahman, said from Calcutta no other area in the state was affected by bird flu. The reports of samples sent for tests from Gajole and Ratua have turned out to be negative.
Top

 

[HenryN]

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Bihar govt bans entry of chicken
22 Dec 2008, 0433 hrs IST, PTI

PATNA: In the wake of high alert sounded by the Centre following the bird flu outbreak in West Bengal and Assam, the Bihar government has imposed a
blanket ban on entry of chicken and other poultry products from the two states.
"The adjoining districts of Kishanganj, Purnia, Araria and Katihar have been sealed and the district authorities directed not to allow a single bird to enter the state," animal husbandry minister Ram Narayan Mandal said here on Sunday.
Animal husbandry department officials of districts bordering the two states have been directed to cull chicken if a single bird flu case comes to their knowledge, he said.
The department has provided personal protective equipment for culling operations to the district magistrate of Purnia for distribution among the other adjoining districts bordering West Bengal, he said.
While taking preventive measures in the four eastern districts, the state government has also initiated preventive measures in other parts of the state to check the spread of avian flu and asked people to take precautionary measures while consuming chicken.
The state government is also keeping a close watch on poultry products entering Bihar from Uttar Pradesh borders.
There is, however, no reason for panic as no case has been reported so far in the state, officials said. PTI

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...bans_entry_of_chicken/articleshow/3871116.cms

 

[HenryN]

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

City lab to make flu detection faster
22 Dec 2008, 0044 hrs IST, Prithvijit Mitra, TNN

KOLKATA: Even as bird flu rages in Malda and the threat of an epidemic looms large, there is some good news for beleaguered poultry farms and
chicken-lovers. Detection of bird flu will now be faster, thereby reducing the chances of an outbreak.
Blood samples will no longer have to be sent to the animal diseases laboratory in Bhopal to confirm bird flu, as Kolkata will soon have its very own bio-security level-three laboratory at Belgachhia. Being set up at the Regional Diseases Diagnostic Laboratory (RDDL), the state-of-the-art centre will be run by the state government.
"We have invited tenders for laboratory instruments. It will have the best facilities and we'll no longer have to wait for the test results to arrive from Bhopal," said Dilip Chakrabarty, secretary, animal resources development.
Researchers and experts agreed. The time gap between sample collection and the arrival of the test report, they said, was time-consuming. "RDDL will make the process faster. RDDL, being in our own backyard, we should now have the reports in a day or two," said Dr Barun Roy, animal diseases expert and a teacher at the University of Animal and Fisheries Sciences.
Virology research is also expected to receive a fillip. The laboratory will have facilities for research on dengue, Japanese encephalitis, measles, viral diarrhoea and several other diseases.
A section of experts, however, fear that the laboratory might pose a health hazard, since it is being set up in a densely populated residential area. "It is a potential health hazard. Accidents can't be ruled out. The lab could have been set up in a neighbouring district," said Roy.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/..._flu_detection_faster/articleshow/3871547.cms

 

[HenryN]

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

KOLKATA: The West Bengal government on Monday said that culling was completed in birdflu-affected Malda district, where it reappeared for the second time, with over 20,000 birds eliminated.
Altogether 27,633 chicken were culled and a compensation of Rs 9.26 lakh was paid to affected poultry farmers, Animal Resources Development Secretary Dilip Chakraborty said here.
This year, no other place than Englishbazar area in Malda district was affected by the H5N1 virus, he said.
He said the Centre and state government should compensate the department Rs 5 crore each for the loss.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Culling_ends_in_Malda_district/articleshow/3875810.cms

 

[HenryN]

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

More birds die in Malda
Statesman News Service
MALDA/NEW DELHI, Dec. 22: A large number of backyard chickens have died at Natunpar and Mandalpara villages under Noorpur gram panchayat in Manikchak block, Malda district since Saturday generating fear of fresh Bird Flu outbreak.
The district administration has instructed the animal resources development (ARD) officials to examine the dead birds and collect blood samples for tests. The block livestock development officer, Mr Chinmay Biswas, who was supervising mopping exercise in Old Malda block today, said vets have reached the spot to examine the birds.
?It is difficult to presume the reason of death till lab tests are conducted. However, according to the vets who have checked the area, the chickens may have died of the disease known as Ranikhet, common among chickens in winter,? he added.
Villagers and panchayat members reported to the Manikchak BDO that at least 150 birds have died in Natunpara, Sheikhpara and Mandalpara villages since Saturday. Fresh bird deaths were reported from several villages in Ratua I, Gazole block a few days ago.
The deputy director of ARD, Malda Mr NK **** said: ?A lot of birds die in winter. A routine surveillance is going on in all 15 blocks of Malda district and we are collecting at least 10 blood samples from each block for laboratory tests in Kolkata.? According to him, 50 samples of such death cases in Malda have tested Bird Flu negative so far.
Meanwhile, mopping exercise continues in the district amidst resistance from villagers. Disinfection work is on in 13 mouzas in English Bazaar and six mouzas in Old Malda block. At Barkol village in Old Malda, the Malda SDO Mr P Pal faced resistance from villagers during supervision of mopping and disinfection exercise today.

Ramadoss
Union health minister Mr Anbumani Ramadoss today reviewed the avian influenza situation in the country following the outbreak of the disease in West Bengal and Assam and asked all state governments to upgrade preparedness to deal with the Bird Flu.

http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=6&theme=&usrsess=1&id=237228

 

[HenryN]

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Update map

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=U...25.329132,88.417969&spn=2.348307,3.356323&z=8

 

[HenryN]

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Flu: ARD does too little, too late
Pranesh Sarkar
KOLKATA, Dec. 22: At a time when Bird Flu outbreaks are being reported in the state, the state government failed to send blood samples to the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL) in Bhopal for confirmation of the disease. It may be mentioned here an above average mortality of poultry birds was reported from Bankura a couple of days back.
Senior officials of state animal resources development department (ARD) told The Statesman that they could not collect blood samples of dead birds because they learnt about the mortality of poultry in Bankura six days after the birds died.
The dead birds were buried by the poultry owners, before the ARD officials could reach the affected villages.
Experts felt that this has exposed the callousness of the state government, as this was not the first time that the H5N1 virus has hit the state.
The state came to know about the mortality of birds in Malda too, much later, whereas presence of H5N1 virus in Malda had been confirmed.
According to the officials, a total of 600 poultry birds have reportedly died in Bankura. It was also learnt that majority of these birds died in an organised poultry farm. Some poultry birds died in backyard poultry too. As all the dead birds were either buried by the poultry owners, officially the death of only 150 was reported from Bankura's Onda block.
When contacted, Mr K Saha, director of ARD, said: ?Samples from Bankura could not be sent to Bhopal as our officials did not find any dead birds in the area. The dead birds were buried by the owners and later these were dug up by dogs. Meanwhile, officials were told that the birds died of cold.? A senior ARD official told The Statesman: ?Actually the field level ARD staff came to know about above average mortality of poultry birds after almost seven days. As a result, when they reached the area to collect samples, the dead birds had already been buried. However, Bird Flu confirmation test was required here as the deadly virus has returned to the state.?
The district magistrate of Bankura, Mr Sundar Majumdar, said: ?Samples of dead birds were not sent for Bird Flu confirmation test after ARD officials identified the disease as Ranikhet, a common disease which affects the birds.?

http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=6&theme=&usrsess=1&id=237223

 

[HenryN]

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

?Get ready to tackle avian flu?


Aarti Dhar







NEW DELHI: Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss will write to the Chief Ministers and the State Health Ministers urging them upgrade their preparedness to tackle avian influenza.
On Monday, he reviewed the situation in the wake of the recent outbreak of bird flu in some eastern States.
He assured the States of full support and asked them to utilise this situation to create infrastructure to deal with the disease in the future.
Expressing concern over the recurrence of avian influenza in West Bengal, Dr. Ramadoss advised the State to carry out a regular drill, irrespective of outbreak conditions.
Senior officials from the Union Ministries of Health and Family Welfare, Animal Husbandry, Forests and Environment, Home, and Information and Broadcasting; and the Assam, West Bengal, Meghalaya, Bihar, and Jharkhand governments attended.
The Lok Sabha was informed that over five million birds had been culled in five States over the last one year.
The number of birds culled since December 18, 2007 touched 5.14 million, while compensation provided to the bird owners stood at Rs. 14.85 crore, Minister of State for Agriculture Taslimuddin said

http://www.hindu.com/2008/12/23/stories/2008122360911100.htm

 

[HenryN]

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/12220808/H5N1_Malda_Spread_4.html

 

[HenryN]

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Re: West Bengal - Poultry (December 2008 -)

Bird flu: culling operations on in West Bengal, Assam (Lead)
December 23rd, 2008 - 7:26 pm ICT by IANS -
Kolkata/Guwahati, Dec 23 (IANS) Over 30,000 poultry have been culled in bird flu-hit Malda district of West Bengal while in Assam culling operations have been affected in some areas due to resistance from locals, officials said Tuesday.In Assam, more than 400,000 poultry have been killed so far in three weeks since the disease broke out.
West Bengal Animal Resources Development (ARD) Minister Anisur Rehman told IANS in Kolkata Tuesday: ?Veterinary workers have culled over 30,000 chicken and ducks till Monday night at Narhatta and Satgheria villages in Malda and finished the mopping up operations there Monday night. Our officials inspected the affected areas Tuesday and reported the operations as successful.?
West Bengal has set a target of culling about 25,000 poultry birds in the affected areas of Malda, about 350 km from here.
Veterinary workers, wearing white protective suits, gloves and masks, started the culling Dec 16 after blood samples of dead poultry sent to the High Security Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Bhopal tested positive for avian flu.
Culling operations continued till Sunday night. The ARD started simultaneous mopping up operations Sunday that continued till Monday night.
Assam Veterinary Commissioner S. Mewra said in Guwahati: ?Culling operations are near complete in four of the seven bird flu hit districts, although in the three districts of Chirang, Barpeta, and Bongaigaon, we have not been able to finish the operations due to lack of cooperation from the locals.?
Seven Assam districts were hit by bird flu, killing hundreds of chicken and ducks about three weeks ago.
?We have culled more than 420,000 birds. There have been no reports of fresh deaths or bird flu virus in new areas since last week,? Mewra said.
But lack of cooperation from locals in the three districts was posing a serious health risk, he pointed out. ?Bird flu virus could spread to the adjoining areas if locals in the three districts do not cooperate with the culling operations. There are risks of the virus spreading to humans if people resist culling.?
Meanwhile, expert central health teams are continuing door-to-door checks to ensure that the virus does not spread to humans. ?So far there are no reports of the virus spreading to humans,? central health ministry official Parthajyoti Gogoi said.
The state government has so far disbursed Rs.10 million as compensation to villagers for the poultry culled.
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