The Hindu : National : Orissa not to cull poultry birds

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 05, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

National

National

Orissa not to cull poultry birds

Gargi Parsai

New Delhi: Orissa has decided not to cull any poultry birds in its districts adjoining West Bengal despite a Central directive.

The State told the Union government on Monday that it had taken steps to prevent the spread of avian influenza from across the border with West Bengal and that there was no need to cull healthy birds and put farmers to distress. In West Bengal, 33.83 lakh birds have been stamped out in 13 bird flu-affected districts since mid-January.

On Friday, the Centre notified culling of 2.1 million poultry birds in about 16 districts of Orissa, Assam, Bihar and Jharkhand that adjoined the affected districts of West Bengal.

While declaring that the “worst was perhaps over” in West Bengal, Union Animal Husbandry Secretary Pradeep Kumar said there was some reluctance on the part of Orissa farmers to turn over the poultry for culling.

“We understand their concern and will try to convince the State government. This is a preventive measure. We do not want the disease to spread,” Dr. Kumar said.

Assam had begun culling in the two identified districts of Dhubri and Kokrajhar. In Dhubri, 2,200 and in Kokrajhar, 448 birds were culled. The Centre was awaiting action taken reports from Bihar and Jharkhand. The States had some reservations as they had to cough up 50 per cent of the compensation to be given to farmers who lose their poultry. All samples of poultry received from Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Bihar and Tripura had tested negative on the basis of rapid tests, Dr. Kumar said. While the culling work in the affected districts of West Bengal was almost over, the mopping up operations showed that ducks and poultry in some of the affected districts had not been turned over for culling.

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

National