Bhubaneswar: A central team will visit Odisha to monitor the measures taken by the state government to prevent the outbreak of bird flu, official sources said Monday. The team will visit the state September 4 and 5 for further monitoring of the situation. Meanwhile, the Secretary, DAHD, Government of India has assured all types of support to the state for control and containment of the outbreak. A high level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja was convened here to discuss the status of control and containment of the recent Avian Influenza outbreak.
Alaka Upadhyaya, Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), Government of India, senior officers from Forest, Environment and Climate Change department, Health and Family Welfare department, Fisheries and Animal Resources Development (F&ARD) department, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Collectors of Puri, Kendrapara and Khurda attended the meeting through video conference. Official sources said the outbreak of Avian Influenza has been confirmed at four epicentres in Pipili, Satyabadi, Nimapada & Delanga Block of Puri district only. The control and containment operation is being carried out as per the action plan of the government of India. The control and containment operation in the infected zone of epicentres at Pipili and Satyabadi has been completed while the process is under progress at the epicentres of Delanga and Nimapada Block. “As many as 51 Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) are engaged in culling, disposal of birds and sanitation in infected zones and till date, 35,329 birds, 84 eggs and 15,380kg of poultry feed has been destroyed,” officials said.
A sum of Rs 10.94 lakh has been given to the farmers as compensation for the culling of birds and the destruction of eggs and poultry feed. The Chief Secretary instructed officials to take up massive public awareness, intensify clinical surveillance in nearby areas, and prevent the entry of poultry, feed and poultry-related products into the affected Gram Panchayats and blocks. “A sampling plan shall be prepared for the collection of serum samples and sending regular samples to designated laboratories for surveillance. The deep burial site shall be protected and those sites shall be mapped and uploaded to the portal,” Ahuja said. The Health and FW department and the BMC have been advised to carry out public awareness activities to prevent the spread of fear in public.