75 chicks seized from a West Bengal vendor

Kendrapada, Jan 30 (UNI) The district animal husbandry department officials acting on a tip-off today seized 75 chicks from a West Bengal vendor and sent samples for test to ascertain the presence of the dreaded H5N1 virus.

Kendrapada Chief District Veterinary Officer Girish Sar said the vendor identified as Chandan Ghadei, a resident of Medinapur, had allegedly brought 8 days old chickens for selling them at the coastal Keradagada village under Rajnagar block in the district.

During the inquiry, the vendor failed to produce all the necessary documents. He has been asked to produce necessary documents of the details of the purchase of the chicks within the next 24 hours.

Mr Sar said if the vendor failed to provide the necessary documents, the chicks would be culled.

He said the Animal husbandry unit has taken all possible steps and precautionary measures to check the entry of poultry into the district.

The animal husbandry unit had collected the blood samples of the seized chicks and sent them to Animal Disease Research Institute (ADRI) at Phulnakhara.

Sources said the samples would be later send to High Security Animal Disease Laboratory at Bhopal to ascertain the presence of bird flu virus.

The Orissa government has imposed prohibitory orders in four districts bordering West Bengal and Jharkhand banning import of poultry and poultry products.

The prohibitory orders under Section 144 Cr P C were clamped in Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Keonjhar and Sundergarh districts and would be in force for two months and is likely to be extended up to six months if needed.

UNI XC-DP KK RN1923