After bird flu outbreak, Maharashtra village and areas around it declared 'alert zone'

Chandrapur: The Chandrapur district administration in Maharashtra has declared Mangli village and areas falling within a radius of 10km from it as an 'alert zone' to prevent the spread of bird flu, official sources said on Tuesday.

The collector and chairman of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Monday issued an order in this regard, outlining steps to prevent the spread of bird flu, they said.

According to the sources, after the death of poultry birds in Mangli village under Brahmapuri tehsil on January 25, samples were collected by the Animal Husbandry Department and sent to the State Level Animal Disease Investigation Laboratory and Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Pune and Bhopal, respectively.

The samples came positive for bird flu (avian influenza H5N1). After receiving of reports, the Chandrapur collector and chairman of the DDMA declared Mangli village and areas within a radius of 10km from it as an 'alert zone' to prevent the spread of the disease.

In the zone, the action of killing the affected birds will be done immediately through the Poultry Bird Rapid Response Team at Mangli, Gevarlachak and Junonatoli using scientific methods to prevent the spread of the infection, they said.

Also, the dead poultry birds will be disposed of as per guidelines and the remaining animal feed and eggs will be destroyed. Movement of vehicles has been prohibited in the affected area. The movement of live and dead hen, eggs, chicken, bird feed, ancillary materials and equipment have been prohibited in the zone.

Instructions have been given to disinfect the entrance and premises of the affected poultry farms with sodium hypochlorite or potassium permanganate. Poultry and chicken shops will remain closed within a radius of 5km of the affected area, said the sources.