Vijayawada: Minister for agriculture and animal husbandry K Atchannaidu said on Thursday that the Central government has dispatched teams to Andhra Pradesh to assess the situation after Avian Influenza broke out in some parts of erstwhile Godavari districts and NTR district.
He said over 5.4 lakh chickens have died due to bird flu known as avian influenza. Addressing the media at the Secretariat in Amaravati, the minister said the poultry farms are culling the affected birds and the department of animal husbandry is creating restricted red zones in the affected areas.
He informed that Badampudi village in Eluru district reported the death of 2.2 lakh chickens, Velpuru in West Godavari district recorded 2.5 lakh deaths, Kanuru Agraharam in East Godavari district reported 65,000 deaths and over 7,000 chickens died in Gampalagudem mandal of in NTR district.
Atchannaidu said Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had spoken to the senior scientists in Bhopal and the secretary of the Union government and apprised the situation. He said the Central government dispatched teams to Andhra Pradesh and they will visit the bird flu affected areas in erstwhile Godavari districts and NTR.
“The animal husbandry department teams are implementing strict measures to check the spread of influenza by forming bio-secure zones and imposing restrictions on movement of vehicles. The culling of chickens has been completed at three affected poultry farms and the rest of the work would be completed in two days,” he explained.
Atchannaidu made it clear that people can consume the thoroughly cooked chicken and eggs. He alleged that some section of media is creating rumours on the avian influenza and stated that people need not panic about the avian influenza known as bird flu.
Director of the animal husbandry department Damodar Naidu said 721 Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) are taking measures to control the disease.
He said transportation of chickens and related products is being closely monitored at state borders and the department remains vigilant, implementing all necessary containment measures.
Damodar Naidu informed that one km radius around the viral disease-affected area has been declared as an alert zone while a 10 km radius around the affected villages has been declared as surveillance area, restricting the movement of chickens and related products.
