Strict measures to prevent bird flu - do not believe rumors:CS

Amravati, 13 February (prajaamaravati): The government is taking strict measures to prevent bird flu, which has spread to chickens in two or three districts of the state, and there is no need for people to worry about it, said Chief Secretary K. Vijayanand. On Thursday, he reviewed the situation with the district collectors through a video conference along with the special chief secretaries of the animal husbandry and medical and health departments from the state secretariat.Speaking on this occasion, the CS issued clear instructions to the collectors and animal husbandry department officials on the steps to be taken to prevent the disease and the steps to be taken to bury dead chickens properly.The central government has also issued guidelines to control the spread of bird flu, and they have been sent to the collectors, and they must follow those standard protocol guidelines. According to these guidelines, a one-kilometer radius of the infected area has been declared a red zone and movement and feeding of animals has been restricted there. It was clarified that transportation should be controlled.The CS ordered the Animal Husbandry Department officials to take precautionary measures within a radius of one to nine kilometers and to constantly monitor this matter.

CS Vijayanand clarified to the district collectors that no matter where false news is broadcast in the media, they should not believe it and be worried, and at the same time, appropriate action should be taken against those who spread such news and rumors. The collectors were asked about the measures taken in the five poultry farms in Badampudi in Eluru district, Velpur and Kanur in West Godavari district and Gampalagudem in NTR district, which were infected with bird flu. He said that the owners of poultry farms should also be fully aware of this.

Special Chief Secretary Agriculture and Animal Husbandry B. Rajasekhar said that the one-kilometer area infected with bird flu should be declared as a red zone, and the movement of chickens and feed should be completely controlled, and then the 10-km area declared as a surveillance zone should be monitored. He said that the owners of the respective poultry farms should be made aware of this and that the dead chickens should be buried properly.

Special Chief Secretary Medical and Health M.T.Krishna Babu said that there has been no report of avian influenza infecting humans in the state so far. He also said that it is very rare for it to infect humans. In the last five years, only four cases of this virus have been reported in 5 states like Maharashtra, Haryana and West Bengal.

Union Animal Husbandry Commissioner Dr. Amit Mitra who participated virtually from Delhi said that it is mandatory to register the poultry farms set up in every district and mandal.It is suggested to declare the area within a kilometer of the disease as a red zone and take all precautionary measures. It is said that sample reports should be submitted once every 15 days.

Commissioner Health and Family Welfare Veerapandian, Director Animal Husbandry Damodar Naidu participated in this meeting, while the collectors of Kakinada,East,West Godavari, Eluru, Krishna, NTR districts participated virtually.