In the wake of bird flu outbreak in Kottayam and Alappuzha, Kodagu, which shares border with Kerala, has been put on an alert with the district administration issuing directions for establishing checkposts in the border areas of Kutta, Makutta and Karike for screening poultry birds and products arriving from the neighbouring State besides sanitising the transport vehicles as a precautionary measure.
Officials of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences were told to act according to the guidelines issued by the government over the bird flu scare.
Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy told a meeting in Madikeri on Tuesday that all poultry-carrying vehicles arriving from Kerala need to be sanitised before their entry into the district. She asked the officials from the departments of forest, police and transport to assist the authorities in establishing the checkposts and making other necessary arrangements over the scare.
She told the people of Kodagu not to heed rumours as the district administration has been taking all necessary measures at the border for controlling the flu.
Deputy Director of Animal Husbandry Suresh Bhat said a rapid response team had been set up in the district for general surveillance of birds and control and management measures.
He said the department machinery had been put on alert and any unnatural death of poultry or local birds and wild birds in the district would be immediately reported for necessary action.
Assistant Director of Animal Husbandry Chidananda said the faecal samples of poultry birds are being sent for the lab tests to determine their health.
