Culling in Jalgaon to end in 3 days

Culling operations have began in four villages of Jalgaon district from where cases of bird flu were reported and the operation take three days to complete, said Maharashtra animal husbandry minister Anees Ahmed.

Speaking to reporters Ahmad said, "As the poultry industry in Jalgaon "� unlike Navapur "� is not organised and is mostly backyard poultry farmers, it will take longer to cull the birds and more than 70,000 birds from these villages will be culled over next three days."

He added, "The poultry farmers will be given compensation of Rs 40 per bird." Ahmad also assured that, "There is no danger of the virus spreading as proper precautions have been taken and suspected birds have been quarantined."

Of the sudden deaths of poultry birds reported from Pune, Ahmad said, "Animal husbandry department officials have visited the site and collected samples, which have been sent to laboratory. Results are awaited. This virus is confined to birds only and no people have been infected so far."

Meanwhile, 60 teams of veterinary doctors and experts have been appointed to destroy birds. In the first phase, around 12,500 birds within a radius of 3 km from the four bird flu-affected villages Marul (in Yaval tahsil), Sawda (in Raver tahsil), Salwa (in Dharangaon tahsil) and Hated (in Chopda tehsil) in Jalgaon district will be culled.

Speaking to the media Jalgaon District Collector Vijay Singhal said, "Blood samples of 26 birds from four villages in Jalgaon district "� Marul, Sawda, Salwa and Hated "� had been sent to the Bhopal-based High Security Animal Disease Laboratory for testing a couple of weeks ago.

Out of this, four samples have been found positive and we have received the inspection report. But no person has been found infected of the bird flu virus."

"All medical mechanisms have been kept operational in the district and high alert has been sounded in the four villages. There are 25 villages within 3 km radius from the bird flu-infected four villages, and around 175 villages within a 10 km radius," Singhal added.

With an aim to eradicate bird flu completely, 70,000 hens within the 10-km radius from villages will be destroyed. In the first phase, 12,500 hens within the area of 3 km from the bird flu-infected four villages will be destroyed, while the rest of the hens will be destroyed thereafter," Singhal added.