MALDA, Dec. 17: Amid slow-going culling efforts, Bird Flu is spreading in Malda. Hundreds of chickens have died in the Ratua block, about 10 km from Satgharia where the virus was first detected.
The Malda district magistrate has asked the animal resources development department to collect blood samples of the dead and ailing birds in the block. “Fresh bird deaths have been reported from Chandmoni I and II and Baharal GP in Ratua within 10 km radius from the Bird Flu affected areas. ARD officials have left for the spot,” the DM, Mr Sridhar Ghosh said.
Meanwhile, culling operations were being hampered due to stray incidents of resistance from villagers. One member of a culling team was allegedly assaulted and heckled by villagers at Anandipur late this evening following an altercation. The incident prompted culling team members to demand police protection for the operations tomorrow.
Though the district administration has targeted to cull at least 16,500 birds in the affected villages, the progress is slow due to the villagers’ resistance. Rapid response team members have been able to cull about 3,000 birds so far. Yesterday, 18 culling teams had been able to cull only 155 birds till late evening. Today, the district administration has added four more culling teams to complete the operation quickly. The district magistrate said that at least 12 more teams would join the exercise tomorrow.
The CMOH, Malda, Dr Srikanta Roy, said isolation wards have been set up in the district but till evening no avian flu affected human case was reported.
In Kolkata, state ARD secretary, Mr Dilip Chakraborty denied that there was any resistance from villagers to the culling operations. He said the problems yesterday had occurred as the administration could not arrange for funds to pay the villagers for their birds.
The West Bengal Poultry Forum meanwhile claimed that it is not bird flu, but a common disease which is afflicting chickens in the state. Mr Madan Mohan Pramanik, general secretary of the forum, meeting Mr Dilip Chakraborty, principal secretary, ARD, today at Writers’ Buildings, alleged that some multinational companies were floating the bird flu theory to create panic and damage the price advantage poultry farmers of the state enjoy in the market. n SNS
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