Vets screen geese, shut Hisar’s Bluebird Lake

Deepender Deswal & Nitish Sharma

Tribune News Service

Hisar/Kurukshetra, Dec 22

Veterinary experts today took samples of blood and droppings from the geese at the local Bluebird Lake for testing following the death of a goose due to avian influenza at Chandigarh’s Sukhna Lake. The lake was shut as a precautionary measure.

A team from the Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (LUVAS) collected the samples that would be sent to the Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at Jalandhar for testing. “The report is expected in the next 7-10 days,” said NK Mahajan, university’s disease investigation officer.

Rakesh, an employee at the Bluebird Tourist Complex, said the lake was closed to visitors on the directions of the veterinarians until the test reports arrive.

In Kurukshetra, no tests have been conducted on the migratory birds that flock to Brahma Sarovar every year. Shakti Singh, deputy director, Animal Husbandry Department, said, “All birds are healthy and there is no need to worry. Since no mortality has been reported, tests have not been conducted on migratory birds at the Brahm Sarovar. Teams are keeping a tab on poultry farms and everything is fine there, too.”

Rajeev Garg, inspector with the Wildlife Department, said daily inspections were being carried out and there was no need to panic. There are hundreds of migratory birds at the Brahma Sarovar and thousands of visitors come here every month.

Dr Pramesh Kumar, assistant professor of zoology at Kurukshetra University, said, “After the breakout of bird flu at Sukhna Lake and the deaths of bar-headed geese in Jind, authorities must conduct tests as a precautionary measures on these migratory birds.” He said birds from Europe, Central Asia, Siberia and Afghanistan come to Kurukshetra every year. They reach Brahma Sarovar in the last week of November and stay here till the first week of March.

Treading with caution at  Brahma Sarovar

* Tests have not been conducted on migratory birds that flock to Brahma Sarovar every year

* Shakti Singh, deputy director, Animal Husbandry Department, says all birds are healthy and there is no need to worry 

* Rajeev Garg, inspector with the Wildlife Department, says daily inspections are being carried out 

* Dr Pramesh Kumar, assistant professor of zoology at Kurukshetra University, says: after the breakout of bird flu at Sukhna Lake and the deaths of bar-headed geese in Jind, authorities must conduct tests on these migratory birds as a precautionary measure

* Birds from Europe, Central Asia, Siberia and Afghanistan come to Kurukshetra every year

No need to worry: Vij 

* Health Minister Anil Vij has said that a team has been sent to Jind to check any incidence of bird flu; an isolation ward will be set up there if the conditions are found suspicious

* He claims that the conditions in the state are normal and people need not to worry

* All hospitals directed to take preventive measures