December 10, 2008
Northeast India state Meghalaya restricts entry of Assam poultry products
Hot on the heels of a bird flu outbreak in Assam, Meghalaya curbs poultry products to avoid the spread of the avian influenza virus in the state.
These include poultry products from its neighbouring regions, Assam, West Bengal and the international border to the state's Garo hills region with immediate effect.
Official sources said the government has issued an order restricting the import of poultry products as a precautionary measure to prevent any outbreak of the disease that causes large-scale deaths of poultry and other birds.
Stray cases of bird flu have recently been found in Assam's Kamrup district, West Bengal and in several districts of Bangladesh which shares a vast border with the West Garo Hills district in Meghalaya.
Megahalaya is bordered on the north by Assam and by Bangladesh on the south.
Consumers in Garo Hills rely heavily on poultry products imports such as chicken and eggs from outside the state.
