Paradip/Bhubaneswar: Odisha government today imposed a ban of three months on poultry sale and farming in bird flu affected Paradip.
Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Secretary Vishal Gagan informed mediapersons, "Restrictions have been imposed on poultry sale and farming in Paradip area for three months."
He added two blood samples of chicken tested positive for H5N1 whereas 314 samples have been sent to the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) in Bhopal for examination.
"A decision has been taken to cull 2,000 chickens in the Paradip area following detection of the bird flu," Gagan stated.
The Jagatsinghpur district administration has begun culling of chickens in Paradip town on Sunday evening. In the first phase, the culling process has been started in Badapadia area of the port town.
The administration has formed ten rapid response teams that were sent to the affected area for sanitisation.
"Teams comprising 40 members have been constituted to sanitise the area," said Chief District Veterinary Officer of Jagatsinghpur, Dr Ramesh Chandra Behera.
Besides, the administration has banned sale of chicken meat and conducted raids at meat-selling shops in the town to detect H5N1 infected chicken.
Earlier, the veterinary officials had collected samples of dead crows and chicken and sent them to the Animal Diseases Research Institute (ADRI) for examination. The ADRI confirmed presence of the H5N1. The National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases also confirmed the presence of the avian flu.