Culling picks up speed in Malda

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan 27: The Malda district administration and animal resources development officials have been able to cull a total of 25,944 birds out of 80,000 in northern part of Malda district in the past three days. Though the progress of culling was slow on the first and the second day due to villagers’ resistance, the ARD officials have been able to collect 20,819 birds yesterday from the bird flu affected zone in Chanchal and Harishchandrapur blocks. The Chanchal sub divisional officer, Mr Debasish Sarkar, said the administration has targeted to finish culling operation by Wednesday. “We have targeted to cull about 50,000 birds (hens and ducks) by Monday. From Tuesday we will start mopping up the affected zone comprising 41 moujas”, he said. Though villagers started an agitation and the culling teams were in trouble in eight villages, yet at present, locals are handing over their backyard livestock to ARD officials. “At present the ARD officials are culling mainly chickens and ducks. The forest officials have not arranged for culling wild birds here," the Chanchal SDO said. According to him, there has been no mass mortality report of chickens in the affected zone and its neighbouring blocks. It has been learnt that doctors are doubtful about the reports which came from Bhopal. "We are getting healthy birds. I did not find a single ailing bird in the past three days from the identified zone of culling”, said Mr Chinmay Biswas, a veterinary doctor. The deputy director Malda ARD, Mr NK Shit, admitted the point and said: “We are helpless. We will have to follow the direction of our authorities.”