Bhubaneswar: After completion of the
process in Khurda district, culling of poultry birds started Wednesday in the tribal-dominated Mayurbhanj, the second district
in Odisha where bird flu has been detected.
"As per the central government's direction, culling
operation began within three km radius of Bahanada village
under Betanati block of Mayurbhanj district," said a nodal
officer at the fisheries and animal resource development
department here.
In the first phase, culling was undertaken in four of
the 31 villages in the demarcated area where an estimated
5,000 chicken exist besides ducks and other domestic birds, he
said adding that the entire process is expected to be
completed in about four days.
Culling in Mayurbhanj was taken up after over 31,000
fowls were culled in Keranga area of Khurda district following
detection of H5N1 virus.
A senior official said all the fowls in Betanati area are indigenous birds, including some rare species, and there is no commercial poultry firm in the area.
As many as ten rapid response teams along with the
district officials have been engaged in the operation, sources
said adding that the culled birds were being buried in pits
with adequate safeguards.
Meanwhile, about 1600 broiler birds were seized and
culled near Betanati while being transported in a mini truck
to Ranchi from Cuttack, they said.
The administration had banned transportation of
poultry items from and within Bahanada area after one of the
41 bird samples sent from the area to the High Security Animal
Disease Laboratory, Bhopal tested positive for H5N1 avian
influenza on Sunday.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, January 18, 2012, 15:19