India: 9,000 birds culled due to bird flu

18-12-2008 | Home | News

More than 9,000 poultry birds have been culled in West Bengal’s Malda district following the recent bird flu outbreak. However, some villagers are resisting the move…

However, some villagers are resisting the move, according to reports.

“Veterinary workers have culled 9,373 poultry birds since Tuesday at Narhatta and Satgheria villages under the English Bazar police station in Malda,” District Magistrate Sridhar Ghosh said. The district is 350 km from Kolkata.

Resistance from villagers

According to Ghosh, villagers are resisting the culling and are demanding higher compensation.

“Villagers are being paid a compensation of Rs.20-50 for each fowl and duck depending on its age. But they are demanding double the prices for grown-up chickens,” Ghosh stated.

District sources say that villagers are hiding their poultry to avoid culling.

Culling target increased

Ghosh further stated that the state animal resources development (ARD) department revised its culling target on Thursday.

“After inspecting all the poultry farms in the affected areas, the ARD authorities have increased the culling target to 20,000 from 16,000,” the DM said. A two-day mopping up operation will begin after the culling operations are over.

Avian flu tested positive

According to reports, ARD Minister Anisur Rehman stated that two blood samples of dead poultry that had been sent to the High Security Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Bhopal had tested positive for avian flu.

Eighteen culling teams with a total of 90 workers wearing white protective suits, gloves and masks on Tuesday started killing and burying chickens and ducks at Narhatta and Satgheria villages in Malda.