Culling on in Manipur; Bhutan bans Indian poultry

GUWAHATI/SILIGURI: Over 1,38,000 birds — chickens and ducks — have been culled in Manipur following the outbreak of avian influenza. About 20,250 eggs and 11,615 kg of poultry feed have been destroyed. India has also stepped up vigil on the border of Myanmar and Bangaldesh which have witnessed outbreaks of bird flu this year. Meanwhile, Bhutan has banned import of poultry from India in the wake of bird flu outbreak in Manipur. This could hit West Bengal's poultry trade. Nearly 1,500 tonnes of poultry from India enters Bhutan annually.

"Cleaning and disinfecting the state government poultry farms at Mantripukhri and Porompat is in progress. Surveillance within a radius of 5-10 kms is also underway. There are 79 villages (41 in east Imphal and 38 in west Imphal) in this area. There is no report of any individual falling victim to bird flu," said a Manipur government official.

He said chickens reared in the farm where the disease broke out were procured from the Mantripukhri Central Poultry Farm. However, the exact origin of the disease is yet to be traced.The disease has so far remained confined to a small area in Manipur. No reports of its spreading had been received so far.