Bird Flu Situation In Krushnaprasad Block Alarming: Minister

File photo.

Puri: With the Animal Resources Development (ARD) Department resuming poultry culling for the second time in Krushnaprasad block of Puri district with the avian influenza spreading to several areas, the Agriculture and ARD minister Pradeep Maharathy on Wednesday admitted that the bird flu situation had assumed alarming proportions.

“The bird flu situation in the Krushnaprasad block is grave. There are reports of the death of a number of crows in Krushnaprasad and its periphery villages. The ARD department has intensified its efforts to cull the affected poultry in the affected areas at the earliest and taken necessary measures to ensure no such recurrence in future,” the minister told the media.

Talking to the media, chief district veterinary officer (CDVO) Girija Patnaik said that eight Rapid Response Teams are engaged in the culling of poultry. He said the teams have culled 400 poultry from two farms in Maluda and Patharaghati villages and sanitized them. Besides, they have started culling poultry from the houses in the nearby villages Maluda, Budasahi, Sanasahi, Budhamara and Nuasadhi of the block since December 15.

This apart, 300 poultry have been culled in a farm of Sunil Nayak at Nandaka village while more than 1000 poultry in a farm of Pratap Chandra Biswal at Naba village.

“We have sent the blood samples of the dead poultry to Bhopal for test, the report of which is awaited,” he added.

The CDVO also informed that the teams have resumed culling in Ramalenka village on Wednesday.

Notably the ARD department had begun poultry culling in Krushnaprasad area and its nearby villages situated within one km radius of the block on December 14. While the culling process in the block and the nearby villages was completed on Monday, the outbreak of the flu was found in the villages about 14 km from the block on Tuesday with the death of several crows.

Meanwhile, the distressed poultry farmers have expressed resentment as the district administration is yet to revise the compensation towards the death of the poultry. They have alleged that the decision of the district administration to provide Rs 20 for each poultry chick and Rs 50 for each adult hen was like a drop in the ocean.