Fear of bird flu scares poultry owners in Gundlupet

Chamarajanagara: The chicken were dying in large numbers in Melukamanahalli of Gundlupet taluk since a week which created fear among poultry entrepreneurs. In the wake of the outbreak of bird flu in the Kottayam district of the neighbouring state of Kerala, the Animal Husbandry Department has been monitoring the situation and took all the precautionary measures.

There is a fear that the bird flu may have spread as domestic chicken are dying en masse around Melukamanahalli, a village adjacent to forest in the taluk. All of a sudden the chicken are found to be healthy for a fortnight but are dying here and there. More than a hundred chicken have died in the village so far.

Vehicles are sprayed with sodium hypo chloride at the border check post at Mulehole while coming from Kerala to the state on National Highway 766. However, there has been an allegation that there is no check for vehicles from Kerala coming from Kekkanahalla check post on National highway 212.

Many vehicles from Gundlupet taluk travel to different parts of Kerala on National Highway 766 and 212. Due to this, there is concern that the infection may have spread. The dead body of the chicken has been taken by Animal Husbandry Department of Gundlupet town. The Assistant Director of the department, Dr. Mohan Kumar, conducted the post-mortem examination and sent the organs to the lab in Bangalore. Dr. Mohan Kumar said that the information will be available after receiving the report in this regard.