Bird flu impact: PM expresses concern to Buddha
A report also shows that while 2,750 Tamiflu tablets are available with the local health office of the district, currently there is a requirement of 45,000 such tablets.
By TNN |
KOLKATA: Even as the one week-old avian epidemic has taken six districts of West Bengal in its virulent grip, prime minister Manmohan Singh called up chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to express concern about the emerging scenario in the state. Mr Bhattacharjee told reporters that the prime minister had called him up on Monday in this light.
Subsequently, the chief minister has sent state home secretary Prasad Ranjan Roy and additional chief secretary Sumantra Choudhury to the worst hit districts of Murshidabad and Birbhum respectively and asked the entire administrative machinery to stay on high alert till the menace continues.
Sources in the state health department, however, concede that there’s been a constant lack of comprehensive surveillance and culling and disposal of diseased poultry has not taken place in a proper manner. In fact, a sample survey from Birbhum shows that while 10 lakh birds are targeted to be culled in the district, so far only 1.17 lakh birds have been killed. The total bird population in the district is 40 lakh.
A report also shows that while 2,750 Tamiflu tablets are available with the local health office of the district, currently there is a requirement of 45,000 such tablets and the demand is likely to go up to 2 lakh tablets in the next few days. Supply of gloves, masks and personal protective equipment is also inadequate for cullers in the state.
A report from Birbhum says ventilator sets to combat lung disorders are also not available with the government. State administrative heads from all the affected six districts of Bengal have also asked senior students from state veterinary colleges to extend their help in the culling process.
The chief minister, however, stated the situation would be brought under control soon and that he was in touch with Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar on daily developments. On the other hand, a central team which was in Kolkata on Tuesday, held several meetings with representatives of the state animal husbandry department.
The officials are learnt to have criticised the government’s role in handling the crisis. A central official from the Union agriculture ministry, not willing to be named, said, a dismissive attitude of the administration, even at the level of local government bodies, is due to the complete absence of a culture of participatory politics. They also feel that the state government should ensure that culled birds do not find their way to other parts of the country as cheap chicken and also that the government should adequately compensate the affected farmers.
Subsequently, the chief minister has sent state home secretary Prasad Ranjan Roy and additional chief secretary Sumantra Choudhury to the worst hit districts of Murshidabad and Birbhum respectively and asked the entire administrative machinery to stay on high alert till the menace continues.
Sources in the state health department, however, concede that there’s been a constant lack of comprehensive surveillance and culling and disposal of diseased poultry has not taken place in a proper manner. In fact, a sample survey from Birbhum shows that while 10 lakh birds are targeted to be culled in the district, so far only 1.17 lakh birds have been killed. The total bird population in the district is 40 lakh.
A report also shows that while 2,750 Tamiflu tablets are available with the local health office of the district, currently there is a requirement of 45,000 such tablets and the demand is likely to go up to 2 lakh tablets in the next few days. Supply of gloves, masks and personal protective equipment is also inadequate for cullers in the state.
A report from Birbhum says ventilator sets to combat lung disorders are also not available with the government. State administrative heads from all the affected six districts of Bengal have also asked senior students from state veterinary colleges to extend their help in the culling process.
The chief minister, however, stated the situation would be brought under control soon and that he was in touch with Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar on daily developments. On the other hand, a central team which was in Kolkata on Tuesday, held several meetings with representatives of the state animal husbandry department.
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The officials are learnt to have criticised the government’s role in handling the crisis. A central official from the Union agriculture ministry, not willing to be named, said, a dismissive attitude of the administration, even at the level of local government bodies, is due to the complete absence of a culture of participatory politics. They also feel that the state government should ensure that culled birds do not find their way to other parts of the country as cheap chicken and also that the government should adequately compensate the affected farmers.
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