Prohibitory orders in Orissa districts to prevent bird flu

Bhubaneswar, Jan 28 (UNI) Concerned over the spread of Bird Flu in neighbouring West Bengal, the Orissa government has imposed prohibitory orders in four districts bordering West Bengal and Jharkhand with a ban on the import of poultry and poultry products.

Commissioner-cum-Secretary for Animal Husbandry Hrushikesh Panda told newspersons here today that the prohibitory orders under Section 144 Cr Pc were clamped in Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Keonjhar and Sundergarh.

The orders would be in force for two months and would be extended up to six months if needed.

Mr Panda said the decision was taken after the dreaded H5N1 virus was detected in Midnapore district of West Bengal close to Orissa border.

He said special squads comprising personnel from veterinary, police and sales tax departments were deployed in all the inter-state checkgates to prevent the supply of poultry and poultry products from West Bengal and Jharkhand to the state.

Besides the inter-state checkgates, 30 small roads connecting Orissa with West Bengal and Jharkhand were also sealed.

Mr Panda said 50 teams had already completed immunisation against ''Ranikhet'' disease in all the hatchery units in the four districts and immunisation programme was on in the backyard firms as a preventive measure to check the spread of disease.

During the past couple of days, a truckload of eggs and one truck load of chicken was seized. Last night, a truckload of chicken was seized at Jaleswer and buried after being killed, he said.

Mr Panda said 62 chicken, recently found dead at Managobidnpur in Maurbhanja district, had nothing to do with Bird Flu as they died due to respiratory problem.

He said the government would seal the Balasore and Mayrubhanj district border if the virus of the Bird Flu was detected there.

UNI BD-DP SJC PK RS1730