Bird Flu: Culling in eight wards

BHUBANESWAR: After the Central Poultry Development Organisation (CPDO) and OUAT, the culling operations were conducted in the wards under the impact zone demarcated for the bird flu prevention and control measures.Eight teams were fanned out to around eight of the 29 wards, where culling is to be undertaken. They managed to kill around 235 birds and destroy 93,496 eggs. There are an estimated 10,000 poultry birds to be killed.The slow progress of culling at the community level is being attributed to the scattered population. The birds are not killed on the spot and instead transported to the CPDO for culling. Such measures are taken to prevent unpleasant and unhygienic conditions.As per the micro plan, 14 teams have been formed to cover 8,38,837 population across 1,97,661 households, including slums, under the house-to-house survey. Meanwhile, the Rapid Response Teams, set up for surveillance, on Tuesday seized a truck load of eggs. The eggs were being transported to West Bengal from Andhra Pradesh. However, as the truck passed through the impact zone, it was flagged down and the eggs seized for destroying as a precautionary measure. This was done under the protocol of the Centre on Avian Flu, Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services Benudhar Das said.