Imports of Live Stocks from Bangladesh restricted due to bird flu

Bongaon, West Bengal, Apr 17 (UNI) Imports of poultry chicks from Bangldesh have been restricted following reports of avian flu in the neighbouring country, official sources here today said.

Border Security Force (BSF) was also asked to reinforce its deployment and intensify policing in all checks posts after reports of Bird flu in that country.

They said the BSF was asked to prevent entry of livestock without medical tests from the competent authority.

The district authorities in North 24 Parganas here have already sent some veterinary teams to the bordering villages to examine the live stocks of at least 150 farms whether any bird was infected by the dreaded virus, said the Block Officer for Animal Husbandry, Subhash Mukherjee.

Bloods samples of the livestock were collected for sample tests during past few days. Even pesticides have been sprayed regularly at the zero point where live stocks are being unloaded, he added.

Indian truck divers entering Bangladesh were also advised not to take meat or chicken during their stay in that country.

Blood samples have been taken from the drivers returning from Bangladesh at the Petrapol point for tests.

District authorities have raised the alarm of possibility of infection of the dreaded virus in the villages of seven panchayat areas in the Bongaon sub-division and to take preventive measures from the veterinary experts visiting the villages to prevent bird flu, source said.

UNI