Bird flu: culling begins in Azhoor panchayat in Thiruvananthapuram

Rapid response teams (RRT) of the Animal Husbandry Department began culling of birds in Azhoor grama panchayat in the district where Avian Influenza (H5N1 strain) was confirmed last week.

Around 3,000 birds in a 1 km radius of Peringuzhi Junction ward, where the bird flu outbreak was detected in a private farm, will be culled as a precautionary measures against a possible spread by Tuesday, department officials said.

Eight RRTs, each consisting of a veterinary surgeon, two livestock inspectors, one attendant and two workers, have been deployed for the exercise. Each team, equipped with PPE kits and other safety equipment, is assisted by a panchayat member.

Chickens, ducks and pet birds in the entire Perunguzhi junction ward and Railway Station ward and parts of panchayat Office ward, Krishnapuram ward, Akkaravila ward, Nalumukku ward and Kottaram Thuruthu ward are being culled. Eggs, manure (including excreta), and bird feed also are being burnt, District Animal Husbandry Officer T. M. Beena Devi said.

The district administration had on Saturday banned the transport and sale of poultry and pet birds, eggs, manure, and feed outside a nine-km-radius surveillance zone for a period of three months. The zone comprises Kizhuvilam, Kadakkavur, Keezhattingal, Chirayinkeezhu, Mangalapuram, Andoorkonam and Pothencode grama panchayats and the  Kazhakootam ward and Attinkuzhi region of Attipra ward of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.

The National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal, had confirmed the outbreak on January 6. The private farm had 630 chickens and 860 ducks, purchased from Hyderabad and Kuttanad respectively. Samples were sent for testing following mass deaths in the birds.

Meanwhile, Animal Husbandry Minister J. Chinchurani said the government has stepped up measures for compensating farmers hit by bird flu outbreaks in the State. Compensation money worth ₹4 crore has been disbursed in Alappuzha and Kottayam districts so far. The compensation rates are as follows: Chickens and ducks older than two months (₹200 each), smaller birds (₹100 each), eggs  (₹5 each) and feed (₹12 per kg).

So far, bird flu outbreaks have been reported from 10 panchayats in Alappuzha, seven in Kottayam and the Azhoor panchayat in Thiruvananthapuram. To date, 74,297 birds, 33 eggs and 1000 kg of feed have been destroyed as a precautionary measure.