A reluctant Animal Husbandry Department on Tuesday geared up for culling of poultry in a five kilometre radius of Orissa bordering West Bengal following directives to this effect from the Centre.

A decision to cull poultry was taken after a meeting of Chief Secretary A K Tripathi with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday.

The state Government was initially averse to culling as it felt that the situation was under control and there were no reports of bird flu in the state. However, after last night’s meeting between the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary, it was decided to go ahead with the culling, probably from Wednesday.

Director of Animal Husbandry Department, Bishnupada Sethi, who will supervise the culling, told

The Indian Express on Tuesday: “We are waiting for instructions from the Government and culling could begin anytime.”

About nine lakh birds are expected to be culled in the two districts of Mayurbhanj and Balasore, which border West Bengal.

In fact, Orissa had already geared up to countering bird flu as soon as it broke out in West Bengal by putting in place rapid response teams. As many as 350 such teams had been formed across the state although most of Orissa’s poultry requirements come from its southern neighbour Andhra Pradesh.

Besides, blood samples taken from the poultry for checking bird flu had also tested negative.

“We had clamped prohibitory orders early last month itself to prevent illegal import of poultry from West Bengal,” said Sethi. Culling is not the solution as the five kilometre radius along the West Bengal border was not the only route for bringing in poultry, he said.

... contd.