WINGED GUESTS

Bird Flu : Eye on migratory birds

COOCH BEHAR, Dec. 17: Following massive outbreak of bird flu in Malda and Assam the animal resources development department is not in a mood to take any chance for recurrence of the disease in Cooch Behar district. All-out preparation is being taken to combat the deadly disease in case of its outbreak here.

 

ARD department sources said physical surveillance was going on in all the blocks. All officials concerned in the 12 blocks have been instructed to report outbreak of the disease or suspected cases to the higher authorities immediately. Collection of blood samples is also being done. Already some samples were sent, yesterday too, for test to the Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at Belgachhia in Kolkata. If required the samples will be resent to Bhopal for further tests.

 

Not only the backyard birds but the migratory birds also came under purview of the preventive measures. Droppings of the winged guests are being collected from Rasik-bil, Rasamati Jhil and Sagardighi. A few samples collected from Rasik-bil already sent for test. As the seasonal migratory birds like these places the ARD officials prefer to collect samples from the places in an aim to stop spreading of the disease to other areas.

 

As a preparatory measure the personal protective equipments required for the use of the members of the culling teams are being kept ready. Thirty teams are ready to start culling drive if an outbreak occurs, an official said. A meeting with all the SDOs and BDOs were held yesterday to keep them alert for any outbreak of bird flu.

 

Meanwhile, spraying of vehicles - passing through the Assam-Bengal border at Baxirhat and Indo-Bangladesh border at Changrabandha - with disinfectants is going on. No vehicle will be allowed to enter into this side of the state and international borders without disinfecting them. []

 

PHOTO  : GUEST BIRDS – Who are to examine the Open Stork Bills on the tree? At Nilkuthi in Cooch Behar.