Kerala govt to provide compensation to poultry farmers affected due to bird flu

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], January 6 : In view of the spread of bird flu in different parts of the country including Kerala, the state government has decided to provide compensation to the poultry farmers who are affected due to the virus.
The state government will provide Rs 200 each to owners of birds which are older than 2 months. Whereas, Rs 100 each will be given for birds less than one month old. The decision was taken in today's cabinet meeting.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has deployed multi-disciplinary teams to Avian influenza affected Alappuzha and Kottayam districts in Kerala, and Panchkula District, Haryana, to help with the implementation of government containment plan, the Government of India has said.
According to an official release, the Department of Animal Husbandry on January 4 notified detection of Avian Influenza (H5N8) in samples of dead ducks from Alappuzha and Kottayam districts in Kerala. A similar report of Avian Influenza has also been received from poultry samples from Panchkula District of Haryana.
Similar reports of avian influenza have also been reported from Jhalawar, Rajasthan and Bhind, Madhya Pradesh involving crows and migratory birds. Department of Animal Husbandry as per laid down protocol has issued alerts to further intensify surveillance to detect any case in poultry birds, the release said.
It further said so far, no human case of Avian Influenza has been reported. Ministry of Health & Family Welfare continues to keep a strict watch over the evolving scenario.