CS condemns rumours on bird flu, reviews situation with collectors

Vijayawada: The government is taking strict measures to prevent bird flu, which has spread to chickens in two or three districts of the state, and there is no need for people to worry about it, said chief secretary K Vijayanand. On Thursday, he reviewed the situation with the district collectors through a video conference along with the special chief secretaries of the animal husbandry and medical and health departments from the state secretariat.

Speaking on the occasion, the chief secretary issued clear instructions to the collectors and animal husbandry department officials on the steps to be taken to prevent the disease and the steps to be taken to bury dead chickens properly. The Central government has also issued guidelines to control the spread of bird flu, and they have been sent to the collectors, and they must follow those standard protocol guidelines.

Vijayanand clarified to the district collectors that no matter where false news is broadcast in the media, they should not believe it and be worried, and at the same time, appropriate action should be taken against those who spread such news and rumours. The collectors were asked about the measures taken in the five poultry farms in Badampudi in Eluru district, Velpur and Kanur in West Godavari district and Gampalagudem in NTR district, which were infected with bird flu. He said that the owners of poultry farms should also be fully aware of this.

Union animal husbandry commissioner Dr Amit Mitra who participated virtually from Delhi said that it is mandatory to register the poultry farms set up in every district and mandal. It is suggested to declare the area within a kilometer of the disease as a red zone and take all precautionary measures. It is said that sample reports should be submitted once every 15 days.