Tripura to centre: Stop poultry movement from B'desh

Agartala, May 19: The Tripura Government has asked the External Affairs Ministry to take up the issue of unchecked poultry movement from Bangladesh to bordering villages of Tripura, where incidents of bird flu were increasing.

State Animal Resource Development Minister Aghor Debbarma here today said there were reports of poultry movement from across the border and since most of the area in Bangladesh had already been affected by the H5N1 virus, it increased the risk of flu spread.

''Even though we have taken measures, including sealing of borders, to stop movement of poultry and poultry products between the two countries, a section of Indian villagers KEPT importing chickens from Bangladesh averting BSF eyes,'' Mr Debbarma said.

He said the BSF was asked to maintain a strict vigil along the Indo-Bangla border to prevent illegal trade of poultry and poultry products from Bangladesh while the state forest department has also asked its officials to keep a watch on water bodies where migratory birds from India and abroad were moving.

Besides, check measures, the matter had also been taken up with Ministry of External Affairs, Health and Animal Resource to ensure sufficient measures from Bangladesh part too.

He however, pointed out that altogether 109 cases of fresh fever were reported at in worst affected Bishalgarh subdivision, and rapid response team had been assisting the state authorities to continue the containment operations as well as house to house surveillance by health workers was continuing.

Meanwhile, he reaffirmed that there was adequate stock of Tami flu and there was no suspect case of human avian influenza.

''In the course of the 37-day culling operation in Kamalpur, Sadar and Bishalgarh subdivisions, our experts have slaughtered 1.93 lakh birds, destroyed 86,319 eggs and 5,463.4 kg of animal fodder,'' said Deputy Director of the Animal Resource Development Department Shishir Deb.

Vice-president of the Tripura Poultry Farmers Association Bilas Chakraborty, however, alleged that people in collaboration with employees and experts of the animal resource department had drawn compensation for culling non-existent birds.

UNI