Task force to keep tabs on situation

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, January 7

Deputy Commissioner Mukesh Kumar Ahuja has formed a district-level task force to keep a watch on the evolving situation at poultry farms in Barwala and Raipur Rani where 4.37 lakh birds have died of a mysterious disease within a month.

The task force includes officials from the Health Department, Animal Husbandry Department and Police Department, and other block-level officers. A meeting of the task force will be held for the first time tomorrow.

The authorities have also made an isolation centre at the Community Health Centre in Raipur Rani if there was a case of influenza-like symptoms. Besides, Tamiflu tablets have been procured.

A rapid response team of the Central Government arrived here today to assess the situation amid the bird flu fear due to unusual number of dead poultry birds.

The team comprising two officials of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), one from the PGI, Chandigarh, and a Regional Director (Government of India) held discussions with the district authorities, including the Deputy Commissioner.

The four-member team will be visiting the affected areas tomorrow to assess whether there was any impact of unusual mortalities of birds on human life.