WB-Orissa border villages on alert

BALASORE: The outbreak of avian flu  in Nadia district of West Bengal, has triggered panic in Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts. On Thursday, the district administration’s swung into action and issued alerts in all the bordering villages while veterinary officials have been directed to inspect chicken farms and hatcheries.Sources said an alert has been sounded in over a 1000 border villages in both the districts and local elected  representatives have been asked to stay alert and inform the veterinary officials once they come to know about the death of birds.Veterinary department sources said the alert has been sounded keeping in mind the fact that the virus spreads through air and the government cannot take any risk. The areas put on alert include Rasagobindapur, Kuliana, Sarasakana, Morada in Mayurbhanj and Jaleswar and Bhogarai in Balasore. In the wake of culling of hens and ducks in the WB district, the poultry traders have stopped procuring poultry products from the bordering State.Together, both the districts have more than 500 poultry farms (small and big),  which includes 332 in Balasore alone. No case of bird flu has, however, been reported from Balasore, considered the third largest producer of poultry products in Orissa after Berhampur and Sundargarh. Animal Resources Development Department Secretary Satyabrata Sahu said  surveillance has been increased in the two border districts as a precaution. “All necessary measures have been taken in Balasore and Mayurbhanj on the basis of a directions received from the Centre,” he said.“We have been asked to check import of chickens from WB while several rapid response teams have been formed in the region to monitor the health of the birds,” he added.Veterinary officials are monitoring the farms operating in the bordering villages.“We are conducting regular vaccination of birds kept in farms within five-km radius of the border. Besides, blood samples have been collected and sent to Bhopal for test. There is no reason to panic,” said Chief District Veterinary Officer (CDVO) Hrudananda Das.