AVIAN FLU

Surprise raid plan to seek hidden chickens

 

COOCH BEHAR, Feb. 3: On the second day of the culling drive the residents of Dakshin Dangkoba and Purba Khaterbari in Mathabhanga sub-division resisted the culling teams from doing their job. The drive has been disrupted due to their resistance. Meetings are being held with gram panchayat functionaries and leaders of political parties seeking their help to pacify the agitated villagers, according to the district magistrate of Cooch Behar Mr Rajesh Kumar Sinha.

 

In a few areas the villagers have kept their chickens and ducks hidden to save those from being culled. The administration will conduct surprise raids in the residences with police help to find out the hidden poultry birds, the DM said. Now, it may take more than the stipulated three days (that ends tomorrow) to complete the culling, he admitted.

 

It was learnt that the culling drive is not going on smoothly in the avian flu affected and adjacent areas due to resistance of the villagers. In the first two days 32 teams have culled about 7,000 birds though the target is 45,000.

 

On the otherhand, a lorry loaded with sick chickens was seized when it was trying to transport out the birds from Gosanimari area in Dinhata. Animal resource development department personnel have buried all the seized birds. Raids are being conducted in markets in Dinhata too to stop illegal selling of poultry birds.