Malda stops chicken imports from bird flu affected areas

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Jan 21: The Malda district administration today set up several check posts to prevent vehicles carrying chickens from entering the district from bird flu-affected neighbouring districts of South Dinajpur and Murshidabad, the district magistrate said. The Malda DM, Mr CR Das said that the administration today opened a 24 -hour control room at the block level to monitor any death report of death of birds. Following an urgent instruction, the district magistrate Mr CR Das called a meeting with the concerned departments, including the deputy director of Malda animal resources development, the Malda SP, SDO and CMOH for a preparatory meeting for culling birds, if the state government confirms positive reports of H5N1 virus. After the end of the meeting at about 2.30 p.m. the district magistrate, Mr CR Das said: “ The meeting was one of preparedness for taking preventive measures, so that we can combat the situation immediately by culling the birds in the affected areas which have been identified, if the state authorities confirm any positive reports of the deadly H5N1 virus based on lab tests from Bhopal from Chanchal areas a few days ago." "Till now we do not have any positive report of bird flu in Malda district," Mr CR Das claimed. According to the district magistrate, the district police will monitor vehicles to check the entry of chickens from the affected neighbouring districts of South Dinajpur and Murshidabad. “We have got the information that chickens are being transported from these areas in the district. So we have decided to check the entry”, the district magistrate said. The Malda sub-divisional officer, Ms Arunima De, will coordinate with the block level control rooms in collecting information of any death reports of chickens to convey the information to the state. The deputy director of Malda ARD, Mr NK Shit said: “Blood samples of 13 birds from Chanchal block I villages have been sent to the Bhopal laboratory. No positive confirmation has reached yet." “We have got the report of nearly 100 birds which died in different areas in the northern part of Malda during the past three days. Today we would send more blood samples from Old Malda and English Bazaar. Earlier we had sent blood samples of ailing and dead birds from Chanchal, Kaliachak I, II and II," Mr Shit said. After attending the meeting, the Sabhadhipati of the Malda zilla parishad, Mr Goutam Chakraborty said: “Today we assessed the situation and have planned to send rapid response team if necessary. It was decided that 135 teams will work here. In each team, five members will work and required vehicles will be requisitioned." "We are worried about the Anandanagar village in Chanchal I block where a few birds have reportedly died. The Malda ARD has sent its blood samples to Bhopal. No report has yet reached till now." The Malda CMOH, Mr. Radha Raman Banik, said: “We have demanded 1,100 doses of Temiflu and 8,000 dress for culling of chickens in Malda district." "An isolation ward comprising 20 beds and another 20 bedded isolation ward have been opened in the Malda district hospital and in Chanchal subdivision”, Mr Banik said.