January 28, 2004

India Sounds Bird Flu Alert

Venkateshwara Hatcheries Group, India¡¯s largest producer of poultry products has sent two teams from its poultry diagnostic and research centre to Punjab and Kolkata on Tuesday to monitor poultry stocks in the border regions after the recent bird flu outbreaks.

This was even as group chairperson Anuradha Desai was in close contact with Union agriculture minister Rajnath Singh and joint secretary (animal husbandry) Nita Chaudhury over the developments concerning the spread of the virus.

As per the latest count, the bird flu virus, also known as "avian influenza" has been detected in a number of Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand , Indonesia , Cambodia , Taiwan and South Korea , besides Pakistan .

Desai, president of the Indian Poultry Congress and National Egg Co-ordination Committee, told TNN on Tuesday that an eight-member team, led by M.M. Chawak, head of the diagnostic lab, will survey Indo-Pakistan border townships in Punjab, while a three-member team, led by Dr Rukadikar, will keep a watch in West Bengal, Orissa and the border region with Nepal.

"There is no fear of poultry imports from Pakistan as the border is tightly controlled. However, we have written to the government, asking for a total ban on the movement of poultry from Bangladesh , Nepal and Burma ( Myanmar ) into India ," Desai said.