Fowl culling on in Meghalaya district

SHILLONG: More than 4600 fowls from 25 villages of East Garo Hills district in Meghalaya were completely wiped off to contain the spread of bird-flu, officials said here today.

"We expect to cross the 5000 mark today when culling operation is left in only two villages within 3 km from the epi-centre," state's veterinary director L Lyngwa told PTI.

On Tuesday, 1222 fowls from four villages were culled following stict guidelines from the Centre, he said.

A total of 4666 fowls were subjected to culling and hygienically disposed off even as more than 1500 eggs were destroyed in seven days of cleaning operation in East Garo Hills district, including those from the government-run farm where the disease broke a week ago.

Lyngwa was optimistic that culling operation will be over by evening.

Earlier, the state government had projected that more than 24,000 bird will face the knife in the area.

District administrator Pravin Bakshi said Rapid Response Teams (RRT) will have to stay quarantined together at a designated place in Williamnagar until January 28.

Around 15 temporary toilets, blankets, mattresses, pick-up trucks, food, vehicles and earth movers have been arranged for the culling and mopping operations.

The district, with a population density of 122 inhabitants per square kilometre, has a population of 3,17,618 persons as per 2011 census.

Bhopal-based High Security Animal Disease Laboratory has confirmed that blood samples sent was detected with bird-flu on January 11.