GULBARGA: The Gulbarga district administration is geared to meet any eventuality with regard to avian flu.

The administration is keeping a vigil at the district's border with Maharashtra to prevent the transport of poultry into Karnataka.

The authorities are insisting on safe disposal of waste from the dressed chicken.

Deputy Commissioner Anjum Parvez told presspersons that a vigil is being kept at check posts in Aland and Afsalpur taluks.

Another check post is being set up at Chowdapur Cross in Afsalpur taluk.

He said the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has been asked not to allow passengers travelling in buses from Maharashtra to bring any poultry.

Similarly, a vigil is being maintained on Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation buses arriving in the district.

Poultry farms

Mr. Parvez said there were three poultry farms with 5,200 birds in the district and the authorities have identified 20 villages in Aland taluk and 17 villages in Afsalpur taluk as the potential hot spots for the spread of the disease.

Special teams have been rushed to these villages to monitor the situation.

The identified villages in Aland taluk are Khajuri, Tadola, Shrinu (G), Alanga, Gaddegoan, Anur, Tugaon, Khandal, Jamaga K, Hadalur, Nirgudi, Chincholi (B), Hiroli, Kamanalli, Ningadalli, Madanahipparga, Nimbal, Bhimapur, and Nandagur,

The villages identified in Afsalpur taluk are Mashal, Karajagi, Hosur, Sheshagiriwadi, Hydra, Bangalli, Udachan, Bellurgi, Badadal, Arjunigi, Kulali, Revoor (B), Jewargi, Jewargi (B), Nandargim, Afsalpur and Sonna.

Rapid action teams

Mr. Parvez said two rapid action teams of the Animal Husbandry Department have been constituted to visit the poultry farms and the vulnerable villages daily.

Gulbarga City Corporation has been told to collect the waste material in chicken outlets in the city in a plastic container and safely dispose it by burying it in the dumping yards outside the city

He said there is no proposal to ban the sale of chicken or eggs in the district as of now since there is no incidence of avian flu in the district.

Similarly, no decision has been taken to cull the birds in the villages with close proximity with Maharashtra.

Mr. Parvez said the district administration has sent proposal for supplying 50,000 doses of vaccines for taking up mass vaccination in the affected areas if there is an outbreak of the disease.

Tamiflu vaccine

Although the Tamiflu (anti viral medcine) was not available in the district, it will be rushed to the district in the event of emergency. Isolation wards with intensive care facilities with five beds each have been established in the Government General Hospital and the Basaveshwar Teaching and General Hospital in the city as a precautionary measure.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail