Death of birds at Naoboicha

By our Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Dec 12: Unnatural death of birds has been reported from Naoboicha in Lakhimpur district today. Samples of the dead birds have been collected, and will be sent to Bhopal and Pune tomorrow for laboratory tests.
The Central veterinary team that arrived in the State today, on the other hand, held separate meetings with Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Chief Secretary PC Sarma, State Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Commissioner-Secretary SL Mewra, Animal Husbandary and Veterinary Director Dr AK Kakati and top officials of Forest and Health Departments. They reviewed the situation arising in the State due to avian flu and the preventive measures taken by the State Government.
According to sources, culling operation is going on in full swing in Guwahati, and such operations started in as many as 12 villages in the Bejera area in Kamrup district. Sale and movement of poultry birds and poultry products have been prohibited in a 10-km radius area taking Bejera as the centre. Kamrup DC RC Jain said sale and movement of birds have been prohibited in as many as 33 villages in North Guwahati.
In another development, as many as six people have been arrested by Bashistha police on charges of transporting poultry birds. Four of the six people were transporting poultry birds from Barpeta to Shillong.
According to sources in the State Zoo, carnivorous animals that have been regularly fed chicken have to be given mutton, and that led a number of animals to take less food.
So far bird flu has been confirmed in as many as six districts of the State — Kamrup, Kamrup (Metro), Nalbari, Barpeta, Chirang and Dibrugarh.