By IANS
Ranchi : The Jharkhand government Wednesday banned the import of chicken from West Bengal and has constituted a three-member team to keep a tab on the bird flu situation in the state.
The state government is particularly worried about three border districts of Dumka, Pakur and Sahebganj, an official said, adding that the team would collect samples for testing from the area and ensure that the ban on chicken from West Bengal is implemented. The three districts adjoin West Bengal’s Birbhum district, whose Margram village is at the centre of the current epidemic.
“Till now, no case of bird flu has been reported in the state,” assured K.N Ram, director of the Institute of Animal Production and Welfare (IAPW), which had in November and December last year sent more than 2,000 samples to laboratories in Kolkata and Bangalore.
The reports were negative, and the government is planning to send more samples for testing, Ram added.
Jharkhand imports nearly 40,000 chickens a day from West Bengal, which Wednesday began massive culling in two districts where the avian flu was reported.