Meghalaya takes steps to prevent bird flu

Shillong, Jul 26: Authorities in Meghalaya have sounded an alert in the wake of an outbreak of bird flu in Manipur, restricting entry of poultry products from Bangladesh and Myanmar.

The Union government has also directed other North Eastern states, Tripura, Assam, Mizoram, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, to take necessary steps to prevent the outbreak of the disease, an official source said.

''We have adopted strategies to prevent the possibilities of the dreaded bird flu in the state,'' Director Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Dr D.Khonglah told sources here today.

Dr Khonglah said they have banned import of livestock and poultry products from Bangladesh and Myanmar.

He said that tests conducted on serum samples collected from 2,600 domestic fowls from the state so far had given negative results.

Temporary check posts in Jaintia Hills have been set up at Muktapur, Dawki, Hingkaria, Huroi, Leijri, Hatmawdon, Balat, Shella, Itchamati, Nongjri, Ranikor, Borsora, Maheshkhola Rongra, Baghmara, Sibbari, Gasuapara, Dimapara, Dalu, Purakhasia and Mahendraganj villages bordering the Indo-Bangla border, he said.

The Border Security Force (BSF) and Customs Officials have also assisted Veterinary officials in all the check gates along the Indo-Bangla border to keep a check on cross border movement of poultry and poultry products.

Surveillance, early detection and vaccination programmes have been carried out under the task force. The veterinary department also conducted an examination in the markets here.

Earlier, Meghalaya government had constituted a task force headed by the Chief Secretary Ranjan Chatterjee to monitor cases of bird flu in the state.

The task force also decided that there will be coordinated approach from various departments of the state--Forest, Veterinary, Health, Police, Agriculture and Public Health Engineering to tackle bird flu in case of any occurrence.

The district task force under the Chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner will co-ordinate at all the activities at district level and organise a special drive to create awareness through traditional institutions and other means of communication in the international areas of the state on bird flu.

UNI