NE adopting steps to prevent outbreak of avian flu

North East border States have taken precautionary measures to fight outbreak of bird flu following advice from the Union Health Ministry and Indian High Commission in Dhaka.

Trans-border movement of livestock has been banned. The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare directive has been conveyed through the respective Veterinary and Animal Husbandry departments of the States of Manipur, Nagaland and Meghalaya, government officials said.

“The security forces and other concerned departments have been asked to monitor illegal trans-border movement of livestock including poultry, its products and pigs from Myanmar and Bangladesh into the region”, said Th Dorendro, Director, Manipur Veterinary and Animal Husbandry department.

Manipur Chief Secretary Jarnail Singh has also issued an office memorandum to form a monitoring committee to control and contain avian influenza in Manipur.

Similarly the State Veterinary Departments in Nagaland and Meghalaya are also undertaking an action plan to prevent and control the disease. The virus is sweeping Bangladesh and Myanmar. Villagers are advised not to import poultry and pigs from Myanmar as a precautionary measure, sources said.

In Meghalaya too, Deputy Commissioners of the border areas have been reportedly instructed to be more vigilant and BSF has been asked to assist district administrations in preventing smuggling of chicken and poultry products into the States.

“So far no case of the disease has been detected in our region as all the tests results are negative,” Dorendra said. A total of 1,472 avian sero samples including migratory birds collected in the past couple of months from across the State tested negative.

The situation, as of now, does not warrant panic. Nonetheless, a ban on import of livestock especially chicken and eggs from Burma through the border town of Moreh has been put in place as a preventive measure against bird flu, official sources said.

Meghalaya Government will set up 21 temporary check gates along the border with Bangladesh to restrain the movement of poultry and related products from the neighbouring country following the outbreak of bird flu there.

The check gates would be set up in five districts bordering Bangladesh – Jaintia Hills, East Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills, South Garo Hills and West Garo Hills – by the State Veterinary department with assistance from BSF and Customs officials.

This was decided at a meeting of a State-level task force set up by the government under the chairmanship of chief secretary this week. It also reviewed the State’s preparedness to tackle bird flu and to put in place necessary preventive measures, especially in the border areas

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