Bird flu alert in Siliguri

SNS, Siliguri, 10 July :Following the outbreak of avian flu in Nepal, the Siliguri administration has issued high alert adjoining Indo-Nepal border areas. Entry of all poultry carrying vehicles from Nepal to India through Panitanki has been banned. 

The Sasastra Seema Bal (SSB), which guards the Indo-Nepal border, the forest department, customs, police department have been put on alert and asked to maintain a close vigil over the situation. 

The Siliguri sub-divisional officer (SDO), Ms Rachna Bhagat, said a high alert had been sounded in the border areas on the Indian side. 

“All vehicles coming from Nepal are being disinfected. We have asked the concerned agencies posted at the border at Panitanki to not allow any any poultry carrying vehicles from Nepal. The animal resource development department is carrying out awareness camps at Naxalbari and Kharibari, close to the border. 

We have told the assistant chief medical officer of health and all the block medical officers of health to remain alert and report us over the situation,” Ms Bhagat said. 

Four awareness camps have been set up at Naxalbari and four camps at Kharibari. She said there was no report of any bird flu related case in the sub-division.