The Orissa government is in a dilemma over launching culling operations as bird flu threatens to spread into the state from neighbouring West Bengal. Though the government has already banned import of poultry and poultry products from neighbouring states and has stepped up surveillance along the border, its woes started when the Centre issued a directive that culling operations be launched along the border region.
State principal secretary, fisheries & animal resources development department, Hrusikesh Panda, opposed the Centre’s proposal stating that there was no need for culling operations as measures had already been taken to check the spread of the flu. But, much against the wishes of the state animal resources development officials, state chief secretary Ajit Kumar Tripathy last week announced that culling operations would be carried out along the 5 km-stretch along the border of West Bengal in Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts.
What has made matters worse is that the government’s decision to go in for culling operations has got embroiled in a legal tangle. The All Orissa Layers Farmers Association and the All Orissa Broilers and Integrators Association have challenged the government’s decision in the Orissa High Court. Last week, the high court directed the state government to inform it about the status of the disease outbreak in the state.
Mentioning that the state government had taken the decision under pressure from the Centre, the petitioners have pointed out that the move would entail killing of lakhs of birds, thereby depriving thousands of people of their livelihood. The culling would also push indigenous breeds and species of chicken to extinction, ruining the genetic pool of poultry. Stating that the government had already undertaken intense preventive measures to check the outbreak of the disease, the petitioners have maintained that the decision to cull the birds was unwarranted. Moreover, if the culling was carried forward, the chances of illegal entry of chicken from other states would increase, they stated and sought a stay on the move.
As expected, the issue has now taken a political colour with animal resources development minister Golak Naik opposing the state government’s decision. Naik, a BJP leader from Mayurbhanj district, where poultry farmers would be badly affected due to the culling operations, has urged chief minister Naveen Patnaik to reconsider the decision.