Confirming that an outbreak of avian flu has killed 1,800 migratory birds, including some of the endangered species at the famous Pong Dam lake, Kangra deputy commissioner Rakesh Prajapati has ordered a complete lockdown in the four sub-divisions of district to check the spread of the disease.
The move came after the report from Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) in Bareilly of Uttar Pradesh indicated that avian influenza possibly killed the birds, the deputy commissioner said.
Another report received from Bhopal has also indicated the similar findings.
“There will be a lockdown in the areas close to the Pong Dam lake as the spread of the infection seems to have been quite wide. About 1km area from the Pong Dam lake has been declared a red zone to contain the spread of virus in poultry birds and humans,” he said.
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Curbs have been imposed on movement of people and grazing of animals in and around a 1km periphery of Pong Dam reservoir till further orders.
The next 9km of the alert zone will be under surveillance where all departments shall keep vigil. All tourist activities shall be suspended in Pong Dam reservoir till further orders. Anyone violating the order shall be prosecuted under Sections 188, 269, and 270 of the IPC.
“We may have to undertake the culling of the poultry birds,” Kangra said.
There will be ban on slaughter, sale, purchase and export of any poultry, birds, fish of any breed and their related products, including eggs, meat, chicken in Fatehpur, Dehra, Jawali and Indora subdivisions of the district.
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Exercising his powers under Sections 34 of disaster management Act, 2005, Prajapati said shops selling these products would also remain closed in the above four subdivisions. The entire Pong Dam bird sanctuary area has been declared a containment zone.
A police force should be deployed for assistance to enforce the required measures and necessary action.
Besides the migratory birds, there have been reports that crows have been found dead in Pong Dam wetland area.
Principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) Archana Sharma said the department has received an alert from the Centre about the outbreak of bird flu.
“We have a set protocol to follow while all other steps to deal with the situation will be taken by the Kangra deputy commissioner, who has already held a meeting and announced a detailed action plan,” she said.
She said the state wildlife authority also issued an alert in the veterinary department to take necessary precautions.
The state wildlife authority was already on alert to scan the outbreak and had sent samples of the dead birds to various veterinary labs in the country.
It was about one week ago when birds were found dead in the Dhameta and Nagrota wildlife ranges in the state.
Dhameta range reported the sudden death of bar-headed geese and one common teal in Fatehpur area. Wildlife officials recovered the carcasses of 1,773 birds from the Pong Dam area and the operation to search more bodies is continuing. Among the dead birds, 95 per cent are bar-headed geese.
