Stop animal infection: Order

BIRESWAR BANERJEE, TT, 6 April 2020, Siliguri: The Centre has issued a directive asking zoo authorities in states to take necessary initiative to prevent the spread of Covid- 19 among enclosed animals.

The wildlife division under the Union ministry of environment, forests and climate change issued the order after a tigress at a zoo in the USA had tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The animal was suspected to have been infected by one of the employees at the zoo.

Officials of the Bengal forest department confirmed that they had received the directive on Monday.

As the ongoing lockdown was imposed across India, restriction was immediately imposed on movement of people at all zoos in Bengal.

But after receiving the new directives from the Centre, the department intensified its disinfecting measures at zoological parks.

In the directive, it has been instructed to enhance disease surveillance monitoring system and set up an essential service for emergency treatment of animals.

The zoo authorities have been also told to take immedi ate preventive measures to stop transmission and spread of the virus front human to animals which are kept in the parks.

"The order has also mentioned that man-animal interface should be reduced and human movement in parks, sanctuary and tiger reserves should be restricted," the official said.

In Bengal, there is a zoo in Alipore of Calcutta, another in Darjeeling and the Bengal Safari Park in Siliguri, along with some other enclosures like Adina in Malda and Khairbari in Alipurduar.

"The ministry has also ordered that a special task force should be formed to carry out preventive works in the zoological parks. Also, a nodal of ficer should be engaged to implement round the clock reporting mechanism if any probable case of infection is noticed," added the official.

Vinod Kumar Yadav, member secretary of West Bengal Zoo Authority (WBZA), said they are taking all necessary steps.

"Restriction over peoples' movement has been already imposed in these parks. The employees engage in looking after the animals at the enclosures are maintaining necessary distances and taking proper hygienic measures. We are even checking the food before it is services to the animals. Also, disinfection is being regularly carried out in and around the parks," said Yadav.