The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Bird flu: State takes preventive steps

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Thursday, Jan 31, 2008
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Bird flu: State takes preventive steps

Special Correspondent

Tight monitoring at check-posts

Veterinary doctors to be posted at check-posts
Rapid action force set up

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Food and Civil Supplies Minister C. Divakaran, who is in charge of the Animal Husbandry Department, on Wednesday announced a series of preventive and precautionary measures against the possible spread of avian flu in the State.

The measures included tight monitoring and patrolling of 18 border check-posts through which 80 per cent of the State’s requirement of chicken and eggs was met. Veterinary doctors and paramedical staff in sufficient numbers would be posted at these check-posts and the necessary infrastructure installed.

A rapid action force has also been set up to respond instantly to any incident that might be reported from any part of the State.

Addressing a press conference soon after a high-level meeting of Animal Husbandry officials here, Mr. Divakaran asserted that the State was totally free from the scourge of avian flu.

But his department had nevertheless decided to take precautionary measures and be fully prepared to meet any eventuality. Constant monitoring by the department had ruled out the possibility of an outbreak in the State.

He said the check-posts would be under surveillance. The kits and uniforms for the RPF had been distributed. He said arrangements had been made at the check-posts to monitor cattle movement as well for possible affliction of anthrax, foot and mouth disease, etc.

He said a control room would operate in the Secretariat to respond to any reports.

The public have been advised to contact the control room in the case of emergency on the following two numbers: 0471 3256288 and 0471 2302283.

In reply to a question, he said monitoring of chicken and eggs would be done randomly, but in the case of cattle heads, it would be done individually.

Responding to reports from Nadapuram about large-scale death of chicken, the Minister said the death occurred due to ‘ranikhet disease’ (‘kozhi vasanta’) as established by laboratory examination and was in no way connected to avian flu.

The incident occurred in a tribal colony and only 60 fowls had died, the Minister said.

Animal Husbandry secretary in-charge V.K. Vasudevan; Director Vijayakumar; Kerala Livestock Development Board managing director Anil Das; Kerala Poultry Development Corporation managing director Sunil Kumar; Veterinary Association president K.R. Anil Kumar; Veterinary Surgeons Service Association president Theodore John; and other officials attended the review meeting. The Minister said over and above his department’s exercise, a coordination committee with the Health Secretary as chairman and the Animal Husbandry secretary as convener, was also involved in monitoring the situation.

In reply to a question, he said a separate unit had been put into service to monitor migratory birds at the Thattekad sanctuary.

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