Bird flu virus H5N8 has been detected in poultry of Rehatgaon in Harda district. State Government has ordered chicken culling and to destroy eggs, chicken feed etc within one kilometre radius of affected area. The radium within affected area will be sanitised and disinfected. From affected area, radius of one to nine kilometre has been included in surveillance area and subsequent action has been initiated. In affected area, restocking and poultry transportation will be prohibited for next three months. Apart from this, Bhopal-based National Institute of High Animal Disease has confirmed bird flu in crows of Harda, Burhanpur, Rajgarh, Chhindwara, Mandla, Sagar, Dhar and Satna. Animal Husbandry Department Minister Prem Singh Patel said that orders have been given in affected districts to implement safety measures to prevent avian influenza and control the disease. Veterinary doctors have been asked to keep close eye on poultry market, farm, water bodies and immigrant birds etc.

 

They have been asked to do regular surveillance of hens. Control room has been established in all districts and rapid response teams have been constituted. The squad deployed to control the disease is wearing the PPE kit and taking action after having anti viral drug. So far, H5N8 virus has been confirmed in Bhopal, Indore, Agar Malwa, Mandsaur, Neemuch, Khandwa, Khargone, Dewas, Guna, Ujjain, Shivpuri, Rajgarh, Shajapur, Vidisha, Datia, Ashok Nagar, Badwani, Hoshangabad, Jhabua, Harda, Burhanpur, Chhindwara, Mandla, Sagar, Dhar and Satna. It was from Indore that bird flu started to spread the wings and now it has reached into several districts of state so far. The fear caused by it has resulted into steep fall in sale of poultry products such as chicken, eggs etc. People are afraid in purchasing poultry products.

  

In the matter related to seeking directions to immediately submit action taken report to prevent the spread of bird flu, the Division bench of the MPHC, on Friday, has issued notices to the Principal Secretary, Department of Public Health and Family Welfare, Bhopal, Principal Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry, Bhopal Chief Medical and Health Officer, Jabalpur, Jabalpur Collector, and Jabalpur Municipal Commissioner, and asked them to file their reply before the court. Petitioner Dr P G Najpandey, State President of Nagrik Upbhokta Margdarshak Manch, and Rajat Bhargava filed this petition through Advocate Aditya Sanghi mentioned that the petitioners came to know regarding spread of bird flu virus which is H5N1 virus and has spread already in 6 states of India, mostly in the Central India. It is spreading like wild fire, and if such spread of bird flu is not checked immediately, the same would prove to be fatal for the people living in the State of Madhya Pradesh, especially in most of the cities of Madhya Pradesh where poultry farms/ sheds are situated including in dense residential colonies. That, in fact the Jabalpur is one of the largest market of export of birds, chickens and having largest poultry farms in Asia, and in most of the farms around 5,000 to 10,000 birds are being hatched and they are living in these sheds, which means that they would be urinating and excreting there. Thus, it is a place which is the main source of infection for bird flu. Petitioner prayed for relief before the court to issue a writ of mandamus commanding the respondents to immediately submit action taken report to prevent the spread of Bird Flu virus. The court to issue directions to the respondents to make public awareness programmers for prevention of spread of bird flu virus in the State. The court to issue a writ of mandamus commanding the respondents to implement the report of the committee constituted in compliance of order passed in W.P No. 2845/2006 and the respondents be directed to submit its report as to what action has been taken by them till date. Petitioner prayed interim relief before the court that during the pendency of the writ petition, the petitioner most respectfully pray that the respondents be directed to immediately submit action taken report regarding prevention of bird flu virus.