Env Ministry asks States to contain bird flu spread on 'Urgent' basis, demands weekly report

The Union Environment Ministry has written to Chief Secretaries of all states and union territories to take necessary steps to contain the spread of the bird flu on an "urgent" basis. The ministry has asked the states and UTs to constitute monitoring committees and submit weekly reports to the ministry.

New Delhi: Amid the outbreak of Bird Flu in India, the Union Environment Ministry has written to Chief Secretaries of all states and union territories, asking them to take necessary measures to contain it's spread on an "urgent" basis, by constituting monitoring committees and submitting weekly reports to the ministry.

A large number of deaths of birds were being reported recently in the States of Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.

"Samples have been tested at the ICAR-National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases, Bhopal and have been found to be positive for H5N1 Avian Influenza virus," stated the letter.

It further added, "Considering the serious situation and the possibility of spread of the disease to humans and other domesticated animals/birds, the States/UTs are requested to take all possible steps for containing the spread of the disease in their respective States/UTs on an URGENT basis and also take up surveillance and monitoring of birds, for any signs of disease, and take appropriate measures for controlling it, on priority."

Center had urged to the states, earlier as well, to keep a strict vigil on the wintering habitats of migratory birds, including wetlands, for any mortality or disease outbreak signs.

"Surveillance for mortality of wildlife particularly in needs to be taken up on priority and states are requested to report such incidences of mortality to this ministry," the letter stated.

The affected birds display symptoms such as Tremors, Diarrhoea, Head Tilt and Paralysis. The disease spreads quickly causing paralysis and staggering. the virus is transmitted between affected poultry to wild birds and vice versa.

The Union Ministry also shared generic guidelines relating to Avian Influenza. For monitoring of migratory birds, it suggested that a state-level monitoring committee should be constituted.

"Surveillance should not be restricted to the protected areas alone but to all such wetlands and habitats that provide Staging Grounds to the migrating Birds and to the areas where there is a possibility of interaction of migratory birds and poultry," it added.

In the weekly reports to Environment Ministry, States are being asked to mention important sites which are being visited by migratory birds this year, number and species of birds arrived, approximate period of arrival and stay, any changes in migratory pattern compared to previous years.

Last week, bird flu was detected in samples of 1773 migratory birds found dead in Himachal Pradesh. While in Madhya Pradesh, 376 crows died between December 23 to January 3. Rajasthan has reported deaths of over 425 birds till now.