Govt allows culling of geese at Sukhna Lake

Rajinder Nagarkoti

Tribune News Service 

Chandigarh, December 18

The Government of India today issued a letter to the UT Administration allowing the culling of geese (ducks) at Sukhna Lake after bird flu was confirmed in one of the 30 domesticated geese.

Vivek Pratap Singh, officiating Deputy Commissioner-cum-Municipal Corporation Commissioner, said the culling exercise will be carried out by a 30-member team, including experts. No culling of migratory birds will be done, he added.

The medical examination of the 30-member team is being done at the Government Multi-Speciality Hospital, Sector 16. He said the Deputy Commissioners of Panchkula and Mohali have also been alerted on this issue.

After the orders, 1 km area around Sukhna Lake will be under the surveillance and the geese will be burned and buried on an island at the centre of Sukhna Lake, the commissioner added.

Sukhna Lake has been cordoned off till further orders, and the entry of people, including the media, is banned. However, UT officials say there is no need to panic. The sale of poultry items has not been stopped so far, they added.