Dist safe so far, say officials

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 25

With reports of a number of deaths of wild birds pouring in from Tarn Taran and Nawnashahr, the animal husbandry department has said it is “critically” watching the region.

While Jalandhar’s proximity to the Hoshiarpur and Nawanshahr areas (the recent deaths of birds in the district have only made the situation more precarious), which have thick forest areas and wild birds, has naturally rendered the situation of the district unique, both the animal husbandry department and diagnostics laboratory sources have said the district is perfectly safe at the moment.

Dr Vinay Mohan, joint director, Regional Disease Diagnostics Laboratory (RDDL), Jalandhar, said, “Various samples have come in from different places and so far none of the samples except the preliminary ones from Chandigarh have tested positive for the avian flu. So far, all the reported bird deaths have also been only been only of wild birds and strict surveillance is on across the region for any cases involving wild birds. The samples from Tarn Taran were 99 per cent negative for bird flu and those from Nawanshahr are under study. So far, all samples involved are of wild birds, so consumers of poultry have nothing to fear. Currently, various samples have been sent for testing to the National Institute for High Security Animal Diseases (NHSAL), Bhopal.”

Dr. Mohan said so far, there had been no indication of suspicious samples among the new ones coming in and presently the sample reports of the 14 bar-headed geese, which died at the Ghatauli village in Jind, were awaited.

Deputy Director, Animal Husbnadry Department Jalandhar, Dr JS Ghumman, said, “Our officials are keeping a close watch on various areas with high bird or poultry populations in the district. So far, there is no scare or threat in Jalandhar. We are critically watching various unit areas with prevalence of poultry populations as well, but we haven’t received a single report of high mortality of birds from any area. However, the department is on a high alert, especially in the Jandu Singha, Kartarpur and Sarai Khas areas which are known as the poultry belt of Jalandhar. We have told our vets to be present and be on call at all times, but that is only to keep proper surveillance since so far not a single domesticated animal has been affected by the flu in the state.”

Ever since the first samples from a Sukhna lake duck tested positive for the avian flu some days ago, there have been widespread reports of deaths of wild birds from various places in the state.

Between December 18 and 21, 500 crows died in Baghiari village at Tarn Taran, which is near the bird sanctuary at Sarai Amanat Khan, 32 crows at Pinjore and 14 bar-headed geese at Ghatauli village in Jind had also been reported dead. Birds have also been reported dead in Faridkot.

The authorities are reportedly anxious about the report of the bar-headed geese samples since there is the possibility of the prevalence of the avian flu among these kind of birds.