Date:23/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/23/stories/2008122360911100.htm

National

‘Get ready to tackle avian flu’

Aarti Dhar

NEW DELHI: Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss will write to the Chief Ministers and the State Health Ministers urging them upgrade their preparedness to tackle avian influenza.

On Monday, he reviewed the situation in the wake of the recent outbreak of bird flu in some eastern States.

He assured the States of full support and asked them to utilise this situation to create infrastructure to deal with the disease in the future.

Expressing concern over the recurrence of avian influenza in West Bengal, Dr. Ramadoss advised the State to carry out a regular drill, irrespective of outbreak conditions.

Senior officials from the Union Ministries of Health and Family Welfare, Animal Husbandry, Forests and Environment, Home, and Information and Broadcasting; and the Assam, West Bengal, Meghalaya, Bihar, and Jharkhand governments attended.

The Lok Sabha was informed that over five million birds had been culled in five States over the last one year.

The number of birds culled since December 18, 2007 touched 5.14 million, while compensation provided to the bird owners stood at Rs. 14.85 crore, Minister of State for Agriculture Taslimuddin said