CM allays fears of virus spreading to humans; compensation up
Rapid Response Force members get ready to burn the dead ducks at Malayilthodu paddy field at Purakkad in Alappuzha on Wednesday. (Photo: DC)
Thiruvananthapuram: In a major operation to check the spread of bird flu, the animal husbandry department’s rapid response force (RRF) on Wednesday culled hundreds of ducks and chicken in the affected areas of Alappuzha and Kottayam even as Chief Minister Oommen Chandy allayed fears of the virus spreading to humans.
As culling operations continued in full swing, the cabinet decided to raise the compensation amount per bird (duck and chicken included) above two months to Rs 200 from Rs 150 and from Rs 75 to Rs 100 for birds below two months. A sum of Rs 2 crore was also sanctioned for avian flu control activities. The compensation would also cover birds that perished after the onset of the bird flu.
In Alappuzha, the RRF launched culling in Purakkad and Alappuzha municipality areas. Over 500 ducks were collected and burnt using logs and kerosene with the help of local people in designated spots.
“We will expand culling to other areas soon. As of now there is no shortage of medicines or kits for culling,” said District Collector N. Padmakumar. Earlier, the residents of Purakkad protested against the delay in culling and started burning ducks without taking precautionary measures. Later, an RRF team was rushed to the spot which culled 243 ducks. The district administration has decided to cull at least two lakh ducks across Kuttanad area. In Kottayam, six squads culled nearly 1,300 ducks in Kollathukara in Aymanam panchayat even as the district health authorities confirmed the death of 200 chicks in a private farm near Kumarakom. Five RRF teams would be deployed in Kumarakom panchayat on Thursday.
“The situation is under control. We are procuring 30,000 tablets from Rajasthan to check the spread of infection. Each panchayat can spend up to Rs 50,000 for bird flu control measures” said District Collector Ajith Kumar.
A high alert was sounded in Ernakulam district on Wednesday after nearly 50 chicken died in a private farm. “A five-member team has collected samples from the area and sent them to the avian disease diagnostics laboratory, Thiruvalla,” said Dr Paul T. Kunnath, deputy director, animal husbandry department.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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