Valley may see chicken supply ban

KATHMANDU, AUG 01 -
The Department of Livestock Services (DoLS) on Wednesday recommended the District Livestock Service Office of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur, to impose a ban on poultry products. The move follows confirmation of the H5N1 strain of bird flu in many poultry farms in Bhaktapur district.

According to Ram Krishna Khatiwada, deputy director general of the DoLS, in a meeting held on Wednesday, the DoLS recommended the chiefs of three district offices in Kathmandu Valley to activate clause 15 of the Animal Health and Livestock Services Act-1999.

As per the clause, the office in charge or the Quarantine Officer may restrict the movement and transport of animals from the place in Nepal where there is an outbreak of contagious diseases to other places of the country.

“The offices could ‘probably’ impose a ban on the supply of chickens with help from the Chief District Officers and the police in the three districts on Thursday,” Khatiwada said. If the clause is activated, the ban will last for a week, government officials said.

The Agriculture Ministry had on Monday directed the DoLS to activate the clause if the DoLS finds it appropriate. As the Capital on Tuesday witnessed the 15th bird flu outbreak in the last two weeks, health experts have warned that the spread of the H5N1 virus has spiralled out of control. They also called for immediate and more coordinated efforts from the government.

Since the first outbreak in a poultry farm in Matatirtha and Chabahil on July 16, the virus has claimed over 25,000 chickens in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur districts.

Meanwhile, government authorities on Wednesday failed to slaughter bird-flu infected chickens in three farms in Bhaktapur, citing lack of human resources.

Over 15,000 infected chickens have been left untouched after the rapid response team deployed by the District Veterinary Office, Bhaktapur, failed to complete the culling. The team had only 22 members.

The central veterinary laboratory has confirmed Bird flu in five poultry farms in Bhaktapur district.

Chief of the District Veterinary Office, Bhaktapur, Khagendra Bhatta, said they slaughtered 5,520 chickens in one farm and 5,740 in another.

Chief District Officer of Bhaktapur Himnath Dawadi said they could not complete the task due to the limited human resources. “It is easy to criticise us. However, the slaughtering task is tough and we will continue it on Thursday,” he said. A rapid response team consists of a doctor and around five other technical persons. Labourers are also hired to slaughter the chickens, depending on the number of fowls in the farm.

Zoonotic disease expert Dr Jeetendra Man Shrestha said the infected chickens have to be confined and preventive measures should be taken to stop the spread of the virus in humans.

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