Shillong: In order to prevent the spread of Avian Influenza or bird flu to Meghalaya, import of poultry birds, eggs and unprocessed poultry meat into the State through the Western border of Assam has been banned with immediate effect till further orders.
Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Conrad Sangma informed the same through a tweet.
Earlier on January 8, the Assam government temporarily banned poultry import through the western border of the State as a precautionary measure in view of the outbreak of avian flu. A notification from the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary department reads, "In view of the outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian influenza in some of the States of the country which is a highly contagious disease having zoonotic potential or causing a huge loss in terms of mortality and trade of poultry, Governor of Assam is pleased to impose a temporary ban on entry of poultry as a precautionary measure through the western border of the States in the interest of preventing the escalation of the disease to Assam and the other North Eastern States."
Meanwhile, the order will remain in force until further order. Manoj Saikia, the Chairman of Assam Live Stock and Poultry Corporation has said that no strain of bird flu has been found in Assam so far and there is no need to panic or worry at the moment. Assam imports about 8-10 tonnes of poultry from states like West Bengal and Bihar while exports a lot of its poultry to the neighbouring states like Meghalaya and Mizoram.
It is to be mentioned that the State animal husbandry and veterinary department have further asked all its district officers to carry out selected virological surveillance of wild migratory birds in nesting areas as well as carry out surveillance in wet and live poultry markets, poultry supply areas, with a high duck population, water bodies where wild and domestic birds congregate.