Shakti Sthal Lake closed for public after two ducks die

The Shakti Sthal Lake near Rajghat was closed for public as two more ducks died of the avian flu near the waterbody, said Delhi's Development Minister Gopal Rai, who attended an inter-state coordination meeting at the central agricultural ministry on Tuesday.

During a meeting with Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh, Rai urged the central government to issue an advisory on the flu, on the lines of the one issued by the Delhi government.

“The scientists are discussing about the potency of the virus and would decide the course action in the fight against the infection which has struck in the country for the first time,” said an aide of Rai, after the meeting.

Reports of the Environment Ministry-constituted monitoring committee were also discussed to check the outbreak of the H5 avian influenza, he said.

The central committee oversees the daily incidences of H5 avian influenza in Delhi's National Zoological Park and other zoos of the country and submits a daily report to Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave.

During the day Rai visited the Shakti Sthal. “The CPWD was told to spray antibiotic through boat-mounted pumps,” Rai told reporters, adding that reports of only 27 bird dropping and dead bird samples out of 85 samples have been received from labs in Jalandhar and Bhopal since October 19.

The Minister said in view of transportation of poultry and related products between Rajasthan and Delhi, the Rajasthan government has told field officers to take “precautionary measures” to check the flu’s likely outbreak in the state.

Over 40 birds have died at different places, including Delhi zoo, Deer Park Lake, Shanti Sthal, Tughlakabad and Sunder Nagar since October 14.

Rai has been critical of the Delhi Development Authority – which maintains the Deer Park Lake complex – for lapses which allowed the flu to spread.

“At least 27 ducks have died in the Lake till now,” said Rai.

The government has advised spray of lime around waterbodies and spray of anit-virus chemical Sodium Hypocholride. Rai said the government was in talks with environment ministries in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to take preventive steps at their waterbodies.