News Analysis India

Tag: Assam Bird Flu

  • Meghalaya bans import of poultry from Assam amid bird flu scare

    By PTI
    SHILLONG: The Meghalaya government on Tuesday temporarily imposed a ban on the import of poultry from neighbouring Assam, as part of its measures to prevent the spread of the highly contagious bird flu, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said.

    Sangma, which reviewing the preparedness and action plan to deal with the crisis, has directed officials to constitute district-level committees to counter any possible outbreak.

    “In order to prevent the spread of #AvianInfluenza or #BirdFlu to #Meghalaya, import of poultry birds, eggs and unprocessed poultry meat into the State through the Western border of Assam is banned with immediate effect till further orders,” the chief minister tweeted.

    A senior official told PTI that no suspicious death of birds has been reported from anywhere in the state, but the veterinary department has activated an emergency response team to deal with any contingency.

    “All districts have been alerted and steps were being taken by the animal husbandry and veterinary department to keep a check on poultry farms,” he added.

  • Bird flu: Assam bans entry of poultry products from outside Northeastern

    By PTI
    GUWAHATI: The Assam government has imposed an indefinite ban on the entry of poultry products from outside the Northeastern region as a precautionary measure following avian flu outbreak in some states.

    The ban comes into force with immediate effect and will remain in effect until further orders, according to a notification issued by the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary department.

    However, there is no need to panic as the state has not reported any confirmed case of the bird flu so far, director of the state veterinary department Ashok Barman said.

    ALSO READ: Government says avian flu confirmed in six states; over 1.6 lakh birds to be culled in Haryana

    Assam imports poultry products from other parts of the country, especially Eastern India, but officials said there will not be a shortage of chicken due to the large scale local production and storage.

    The government has imposed a “temporary ban on entry of poultry as a precautionary measure through western border of the State in the interest of prevailing escalation of the disease to Assam and other Northeastern states”, the notification said.

    This has been done due to the outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza in some parts of the country which is a highly contagious avian disease having zoonotic potential, it added.

    ALSO READ: Punjab issues advisory for surveillance of poultry farms, wetlands amid bird flu scare

    Advisories have already been issued to the authorities concerned for strengthening the active and targeted surveillance against the disease.

    “Poultry products are usually imported to the state from West Bengal, Bihar, Rajasthan, UP among others and we have decided to ban it temporarily as infected birds should not be allowed to come to Assam,” Barman said.

    The Centre has asked the states that are still unaffected by avian flu to keep a vigil on any unusual mortality of birds.

    ALSO READ: Bird flu – Madhya Pradesh govt bans chicken trade with some southern states

    The disease has so far been confirmed from six states – Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat.