965 chickens culled on second day of culling operations

Gangtok, Jan 21: A total of 965 chickens were culled today at the bird flu hit areas of Ravangla subdivision in South Sikkim.

Culling operations by nine Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) constitution members from district administration, State Animal husbandry department and other line departments had begun from yesterday at 3 kms radius from the epicenter of the bird flu hit areas of the subdivision.

“A total 965 chickens were culled today out of which 722 were adult chickens and 243 were chicks”, said South district collector D Anandan.

Today’s tally takes the total number of culled birds to 2125.

Mr. Anandan informed that today’s culling took place in 157 households at bird flu hit areas of Golitar, 14th Mile and Hospital Area of Ravangla. A total of 611 eggs were also destroyed today by the RRTs.

Immediate compensation as per the rates fixed by the State government was paid to the farmers whose chickens were culled. The State government had announced compensation of Rs. Rs. 100 per fully grown chicken and Rs. 15 per chick.

The culling operations are going smoothly and we expect to finish in a couple of days, said the DC.

A medical team of Union Health Ministry has reached the spot and is assisting the State authorities into micro planning and containment measures. The team is surveying the affected areas, said the DC.

The Union Ministry has supplied 6000 capsules of Oseltamivir, 5000 three layered surgical masks, 100 Personal Protective Equipments and 100 N-95 masks and the situation is being monitored on a daily basis, informs a PIB release.

The bird flu outbreak in Ravangla had been confirmed on January 18.