Authorities struggling to contain the spread of bird flu in West Bengal tasted some degree of success on Tuesday after the virus has for the first time, not been reported affecting new areas in the state where 13 of the 19 districts have already been hit. Culling has been in progress in Murshidabad’s Samserganj block and Chak Belcha village in Debra block of West Midnapore district where the outbreak was reported on Monday, officials here said.

However, culling operation suffered a setback in Coochbehar’s Dinhata block where workers engaged by the Rapid Response Teams stopped killing the afflicted poultry, demanding a raise in their remuneration from Rs 70. They resumed work after a hike to Rs 105.  But in another incident in Birbhum district that was declared the epicentre of the present outbreak, some personnel of the Rapid Response Teams have left the area without a proper medical check-up. More than 185 personnel from the Animal Resource Development department who had arrived at Rampurhat left for home without any release order.  “It was wrong on the part of these personnel to leave the place as they are supposed to be quarantined for observation following their exposure to culling activities,” a district official said.

Meanwhile, authorities in the city have put up temporary check-posts at various entry points to keep a vigil on entry of vehicle carrying poultry from the infected districts. “Except vehicles carrying chickens from eight farms certified by KMC (Kolkata Municipal Corporation), corporation authorities will not allow any poultry product into the city or neighbouring Salt Lake,” a KMC official said.

The Salt Lake Municipality has banned sale of chicken and requested police to conduct raids in markets to monitor the business.