Bird flu: Rapid response teams keep watch

Patna: The Bihar Government today set up Rapid Response Teams in Kishanganj, Purnia, Araria and Katihar districts to stop the entry of poultry from West Bengal and preparations were on to begin culling operations in six panchayats of Katihar.

The state government was taking all precautionary measures in the wake of an outbreak of birdflu in West Bengal, official sources said after a decision to this effect was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by chief secretary R J M Pillai.

Special vigil was being kept on the situation in Araria, Kishanganj, Purnia and Katihar bordering West Bengal. "Rapid Response Teams have been set up in all the blocks of these districts and they have been asked to undertake intensive visit of poultry farms in these districts and forward their reports to the state headquarters on the death rate of poultry by evening every day," the sources said.

"The government has also instructed them to collect serum from poultry farms and send them to RDDL, Kolkata through their respective district animal husbandry officers," they said.

Following an alert by neighbouring Malda district in West Bengal, the Katihar district administration is gearing up for culling operations in six panchayats under Ajamnagar block.

"We are preparing for culling," district magistrate C M Thakur said.