From rxpgnews.com
Despite central directive, Orissa yet to start culling
By IANS,
Feb 8, 2008 - 8:30:35 PM
New Delhi, Feb 8 - A week after the central government directive to slaughter birds in a five-kilometre belt along the border with bird flu-hit West Bengal, Orissa is yet to 'respond'. Jharkhand has begun identifying the areas for killing poultry, while culling is on in Assam and Bihar.
Animal husbandry department officials said here Friday: Orissa's 'plan of action is awaited'.
The department secretary Pradeep Kumar had said on Wednesday: 'The Orissa state animal husbandry officials have told us that they are waiting for orders from the chief minister - to start culling.'
The central government had taken the decision to cull birds in areas bordering West Bengal as a preventive measure after avian flu spread to several districts of the state.
'Preventive culling operations are progressing very well in Assam where a total of 47,548 birds, out of a target of 89,254 birds, have already been culled,' said a statement issued Friday.
In Bihar, the culling target is 470,000 and so far 31,667 birds have been slaughtered.
'Jharkhand is still engaged in the process of identifying priority areas for culling,' it said.
Though there has been no fresh case of flu in the country, on Thursday 22,177 birds were culled, taking the total figure to 3.6 million since the bird flu outbreak was confirmed Jan 15.
The rapid response team has intensified mopping up exercises as well as disinfecting the affected areas where culling was done in West Bengal. The virus has spread to 13 of its 19 districts.
About 106 birds were found dead on Thursday from North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas and Nadia districts, taking the poultry deaths to 133,096.
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