The Hindu : National : “West Bengal delay led to bird flu spread”

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Tuesday, Jan 22, 2008
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“West Bengal delay led to bird flu spread”

Gargi Parsai

Even now culling is slow and needs to be speeded up: Pawar

NEW DELHI: Even as bird flu has been confirmed in five of the eight suspected districts of West Bengal, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Monday said the State government’s delay in taking “appropriate action” led to the rapid spread of avian influenza. Even now culling in the “unusual mortality” districts was “slow” and should be speeded up, he told journalists here.

Mr. Pawar, who reviewed the situation, said he was in touch with Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and urged him to stop inter-district movement of birds to contain the infection. The Minister had rushed Union Animal Husbandry Secretary to West Bengal.

“The first incidence was reported on January 4. The Central government was informed on January 11. Appropriate action was not taken and bird flu spread.

Ultimately there were efforts by the State government. However, culling of birds, which is slow, should be speeded up.”

He pointed out that the dreaded disease was contained quickly in Maharashtra in 2005 and in Manipur last year as the district administration there undertook culling operations actively.

Mr. Pawar asked the Jharkhand, Bihar, Orissa and Assam to be alert and stop the movement of poultry birds from West Bengal.

Central teams had been rushed to Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram for spot assessment.

The Centre had placed Rs. 3.5 crore at the disposal of West Bengal to accelerate compensation to poultry farmers who would lose their livelihood.

As per the latest reports, unusual mortality of 1,07,881 birds has been reported from eight districts. H5N1 influenza has been confirmed in five districts. So far 1,60,440 birds have been culled.

According to Animal Husbandry Secretary Pradeep Kumar, the spread of bird flu is faster in West Bengal because backyard poultry areas are thickly populated and as ducks mingle with poultry.

Besides, hawks and eagles are feeding affected poultry birds left unattended on roads and the rail track, leading to infection through their droppings.

“The scale of spread is much more because of low temperatures and high humidity,” he said. However, there were no reports of unusual mortality among birds in the neighbouring States.

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