Asian bird inspectors refused entry

Animal husbandry department (AHD) officials were not allowed to inspect some hatcheries in Hooghly district on Tuesday. At least 600 cases of chicken deaths have been reported from Hooghly.

Meanwhile, officials from the High Risk Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Bhopal, has informed that the 116 samples sent by the West Bengal government last week have tested negative. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has strengthened influenza surveillance network at Entero Viral Unit in Kolkata to cope with any case of avian flu.

With news of chicken deaths trickling in, SDO, Arambagh Uttam Patra along with AHD officials visited several hatcheries at Giya village in Arambagh. Mr Patra burnt several dead chickens himself.

Officials also collected blood and serum samples from chickens of those hatcheries on a random basis and left. Later, when they went back to visit other hatcheries in the village, they were gheraoed and asked to leave.

The team also went to the office of Arambagh Hatchery, the biggest hatchery in West Bengal, but the security personnel prevented their entry without proper permission from their Kolkata office. The matter was brought to the notice of the district administration.

On Monday night, AHD officials were not allowed to enter a hatchery at Jagaddhatripara in Seoraphuli which reported deaths of 70 chickens in the last three days. Later, on intervention of locals, the officials were allowed to inspect the hatchery.

Meanwhile, confusion reigned supreme about the availability of anti-bird flu medicines in the state. Private nursing homes and hospital authorities are yet to receive any instruction on bird flu from the state health department.

Sources said that state drug control department had received a communiqué from its national wing that two drug manufacturing companies have been granted permission to manufacture anti-bird flu medicines but have not yet been given the green light for retail sale. This was immediately informed to state health secretary Kalyan Bagchi by the director of state drug control, Dr Sajal Roy Chowdhury. Sources further added, that the communiqué also suggested that the medicines will be procured by National Institute of Communicable Diseases, who in turn will supply them to the state governments. Pharma market sources confirmed that one of the anti-flu drugs will be formally launched on Thursday and another will be procured by the state government, a few days later.

On Tuesday, state animal resource development minister Anisur Rahman told the Assembly that samples are being collected from the five bird sanctuaries in West Bengal for testing, as a precautionary measure. The minister further assured that not a single case of bird flu has been detected in the state but the government was maintaining a strict vigil and adopting precautionary measures.

Mr Rahman said: "Around two thousand samples sent to the High Risk Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Bhopal, have tested negative." The minister also mentioned that a 14-point guideline has been issued to poultry owners across the state.

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