Bird flu suspected in MP's Burhanpur district

Bhopal, Mar 28 (UNI) Amid apprehension of spread of avian influenza at Ichhapur in Madhya Pradesh's Burhanpur district bordering Maharashtra, 135 poultry samples from about two dozen villages have been dispatched to the city-based High Security Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL), a national referral facility.

Senior scientist of HSADL H K Pradhan confirmed to UNI that the samples were received yesterday and it would take about five days to finish an analysis.

Ichhapur adjoins Maharashtra's Jalgaon from where samples were found to be bird flu positive on March 15.

Commissioner (Veterinary Services) Rajesh Rajora today reviewed preparations, to monitor the situation, at a high-level meeting in Burhanpur with officials of the district administration and other departments concerned.

''Preparations were made as Ichhapur borders Jalgaon. The samples are of 135 poultry that died between March 16 and 22. Over the past four days, no bird death was reported in the villages,'' Dr Rajora told UNI.

The bureaucrat explained that a total 1,900 samples from within Madhya Pradesh tested negative till date at HSADL.

More than 2,000 chlorine capsules were stocked up and about 20 large pits sunk for eventual disposing of culled poultry in Ichhapur.

Twenty-eight rapid response teams were constituted in the district. There are about 7,200 poultry in Ichhapur area.

Unorganised poultries form a sizeable chunk of the business there and 'courtyard farming' is a common practice.

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