IMPHAL, April 25: The Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Manipur while reacting to certain criticism of the council regarding the bird flu issue has said that it is investigating to locate the source of transmission.
Speaking to media persons at the Manipur Press Club, scientist, ICAR Veterinary and Public Health Dr Blessa Sailo said the avian influenza could have spread through bird dropping, air, poultry feed, migratory birds.
He said the poultry in ICAR`™s poultry units were 32 weeks old and not a single bird or egg was imported from outside the State since September 2014.
Hence, the virus infection of the ICAR`™s poultry came from unknown sources, he said.
`In addition, ICAR`™s doctors still are working on this investigation though it is very difficult to locate the sources of transmission.`
He further said that on April 5, there was a cyclone, thunderstorm and heavy rain causing one portion roof of the ICAR`™s poultry unit being blown away and five birds were found dead in the early morning the next day.
And, just for precautionary measures, samples was sent to the Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Services, Government of Manipur for proper checking and the State department diagnosed the disease as Ranikhet disease, he said.
Dr Blaesse Sailo also said that ICAR`™s arranged for sending the sample to ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal for further investigations and not for detection of Bird Flu.
After the ICAR-NIHSAD, Bhopal detected the disease as Avian Influenza (H5N1), the result was communicated to the secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry Dairying and Fisheries (DADF), Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, New Delhi on April 18 with a copy endorsed to Animal Husbandry Commissioner, DADF, MOS, Krishi Bhawan, New Dehi and Joint Secretary (LH), MOS, Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi he added.
He further said that the question of not communicating the result by ICAR-NIHSAD, Bhopal to the ICAR Manipur centre does not arise.
The ICAR-NISHAD, Bhopal is the only institute in India who has the authority to confirm animal and poultry diseases and it is also a world organisation for animal health (OIE) reference/certified Laboratory, he said adding that the authenticity of the report furnished by the ICAR-NISHAD is beyond doubt.
However, after confirmation of the disease, the State department and district administration took up all sorts of measures and the ICAR Manipur centre extended full cooperation to the State functionaries for prevention of further spread of the disease, he said.
As per the action plan laid down by the Government of India, all poultry birds within a radius of 1 kilometre from the epicentre are to be culled as this zone is considered as infected zone and another 10 kilometre radius is considered as surveillances zone. The norm is not set either by the ICAR or the State Government but by the Government of India which is of International Standard he said.
He further said that ICAR admit that due to this measure some poultry growers/traders will suffer temporarily, but we all have to understand that all the preventive measures taken is for the greater safety of the people, otherwise the infection may spread further which may cause economic loss and may pose a threat to human health.
He also said that in the year 2007 outbreak also, the same measures were taken and it could check and prevent the spreading of disease successfully. With this connection ICAR expected cooperation and appreciation from the public. However it is disheartening for ICAR that a section started criticizing ICAR and even raised question about our integrity while it is a matter of safety of the public health as human life is so precious.