The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Action force to monitor poultry units

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 24, 2006

Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Action force to monitor poultry units

Staff Reporter

`All stray incidents of bird deaths should be investigated'

Thiruvananthapuram: A rapid action force (RAF) comprising veterinarians, para-veterinarians and livestock inspectors has been constituted in the district for maintaining close surveillance of all poultry farms in the wake of the avian influenza threat.

All stray incidents of bird deaths, including those of pet birds and other local species, should be investigated as a high alert has been declared in the State, it was decided at a meeting of veterinarians, chaired by the District Animal Husbandry Officer, here on Thursday.

Surveillance of local poultry farms will continue and a minimum of 10 serum samples will be collected daily in the district from all farms and sent to the Chief Disease Investigation Office at Palode from where these samples will be dispatched to the Central laboratory at Bhopal.

The veterinarians were also detailed about the methodology to be followed in collecting serum samples. Broiler farms in the district will be inspected daily to ensure that all precautionary measures against bird flu are being taken by the farm hands.

Veterinary teams have been posted at checkposts on a round-the-clock basis to collect 10 random serum samples daily from each consignment of poultry. The Animal Husbandry department has procured protective gear as well as equipment to be distributed among the surveillance team for collecting serum samples.

The meeting noted that there was panic among the people but the situation was under control now.

Apart from stray incidents of bird deaths, no cases of en masse death of birds were reported from anywhere in the district.

The Animal Husbandry department officials said that two consignments of eggs were sent back from the Thenmala checkpost as these were not accompanied by a certificate from veterinarians. Few consignments of poultry were reaching the checkposts as consumption had gone down drastically, the officials said.

Entry of birds regulated

The district administration has taken steps to ensure the entry of chicken from other States only through the checkposts.

Addressing a meeting at the Collectorate on Thursday to review the steps taken in the wake of the avian flu threat, District Collector N. Ayyappan said officials had been directed to ensure that birds were brought only through the checkposts.

Other than the District Medical Officer, the principal agriculture officer, the district animal husbandry officer and the divisional forest officer also attended the meeting.

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