Sally Furniss
Well-known member
W. Java regulates poultry to curb bird flu
http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailnational.asp?fileid=20070407.G01&irec=0
Yuli Tri Suwarni and Blontank Poer, The Jakarta Post, Bandung, Surakarta
West Java Governor Danny Setiawan has signed into law a regulation aimed at curbing the spread of bird flu in the province, three months after neighboring Jakarta passed a more stringent regulation.
Unlike Jakarta, the West Java regulation does not ban backyard farming or impose sanctions for violators. West Java has been hit the hardest by bird flu, with 27 deaths out of 29 reported cases of the H5N1 virus. Nationwide, 73 people have died out of 93 confirmed cases.
Rahmat Setiadi, the head of the West Java Animal Husbandry Office, said in Bandung on Thursday the governor signed the regulation this week in response to an earlier presidential instruction to intensify the fight against bird flu.
"West Java is still reporting bird flu case due to the lack of monitoring of poultry. We hope to solve this problem with this gubernatorial regulation," he said.
The regulation states that all poultry must be kept at least 2.5 meters away from all houses, and should be placed in an area that receives direct sunlight.
It also says the technical details governing the movement of poultry in the province would be agreed upon by West Java's 25 regency and municipality administrations.
However, the regulation could prove to be toothless as it does not contain sanctions for violators.
"It is mentioned in the regulation that a bird that tests positive (for the bird flu virus) should be destroyed. But when it comes to healthy pens, all we can do is offer advice to the public," Rahmat said.
He acknowledged the regulation might not be sufficient to eliminate the virus from West Java, but expressed optimism it would help reduce the number of bird flu cases in poultry.
Rahmat said that in the first three months of this year, more than 19,500 chickens had died in 24 regencies and mayoralties. Bird deaths were recorded in 189 villages and 132 districts, while more than 12,000 birds being destroyed.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailnational.asp?fileid=20070407.G01&irec=0
Yuli Tri Suwarni and Blontank Poer, The Jakarta Post, Bandung, Surakarta
West Java Governor Danny Setiawan has signed into law a regulation aimed at curbing the spread of bird flu in the province, three months after neighboring Jakarta passed a more stringent regulation.
Unlike Jakarta, the West Java regulation does not ban backyard farming or impose sanctions for violators. West Java has been hit the hardest by bird flu, with 27 deaths out of 29 reported cases of the H5N1 virus. Nationwide, 73 people have died out of 93 confirmed cases.
Rahmat Setiadi, the head of the West Java Animal Husbandry Office, said in Bandung on Thursday the governor signed the regulation this week in response to an earlier presidential instruction to intensify the fight against bird flu.
"West Java is still reporting bird flu case due to the lack of monitoring of poultry. We hope to solve this problem with this gubernatorial regulation," he said.
The regulation states that all poultry must be kept at least 2.5 meters away from all houses, and should be placed in an area that receives direct sunlight.
It also says the technical details governing the movement of poultry in the province would be agreed upon by West Java's 25 regency and municipality administrations.
However, the regulation could prove to be toothless as it does not contain sanctions for violators.
"It is mentioned in the regulation that a bird that tests positive (for the bird flu virus) should be destroyed. But when it comes to healthy pens, all we can do is offer advice to the public," Rahmat said.
He acknowledged the regulation might not be sufficient to eliminate the virus from West Java, but expressed optimism it would help reduce the number of bird flu cases in poultry.
Rahmat said that in the first three months of this year, more than 19,500 chickens had died in 24 regencies and mayoralties. Bird deaths were recorded in 189 villages and 132 districts, while more than 12,000 birds being destroyed.