Flu scare sparked off in Kaliachak III

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan 29: A team of doctors from National Institute of Communicable Diseases, New Delhi, has found many ailing birds with symptoms like Bird Flu at two villages in Kaliachak III block today and instructed the district administration to collect blood samples for its confirmation, the district administrative officials said. The team led by the joint director, NICD, visited two blocks Kaliachak I and III, close to Bangladesh border, and held a meeting with the district officials. The team will visit other blocks, including Harishchandrapur and Chanchal, where the culling operation is going on after detection of Bird Flu virus. The Malda SDO, Ms Arunima De, instructed the animal resources development officials for collecting blood samples from the ailing birds identified by the team at two villages. “The ARD officials have been requested to visit the spot for collecting blood samples. The ARD team has already arrived at the spot today," said Ms. De. The Malda SDO held a meeting with concerned block development officers to know the situation of Bird Flu situation. The BDOs have been instructed to report any fresh out break of Bird Flu like incident as soon as possible so that administration can take necessary steps immediately. The state minister of forests Mrs Bilasi Bala Sahis and other forest officials today visited Tilason forest and a water body in Habibpur, close to Indo-Bangladesh border, where migratory birds come from different areas. The Malda divisional forest officer, Mr Rajendra Jakhar, said: “We are closely watching migratory birds in Malda forests and water bodies and every day we are sending report to the higher authorities”. “But we did not found any ailing and dead migratory birds till date”, Mr. Jakhar claimed. The divisional forest officer Mr Jakhar also said: “There is no bird flu symptom in wild bird life in this district. When there is no bird flu symptom in wild bird in the affected zone, why will we cull them? If we found any symptom we must cull them.” “There is large number of waterfowls stay in the river Ganges near Farakka Barrage. Though we did not detect any symptoms of avian influenza on them, we afraid of that the flu may affect waterfowls of Farakka Barrage from the domestic ducks of the region because these waterfowls forage in the paddy fields of Malda and Murshidabad districts at night”, said Mr Arunayan Sharma, director, centre of ecological engineering in Malda. “We will extend our vigilance in the water bodies close to Farakka Barrage. Due to shortage of staff, the fisheries department is now monitoring local water bodies there”, said Mr Jakhar.