Laboratory tests of bird droppings at the Vellode Bird Sanctuary are being performed to rule out incidence of bird flu, Forest Department sources said.
There must be roughly about 24,000 migratory birds in the sanctuary with a water spread of 100 acres. Bird watchers and forest guards are keeping a close watch at the feeding spots to determine if there has been any bird death.
Disinfectants sourced from the Poultry Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Erode are being sprayed on vehicles entering the sanctuary under the guidance of an Animal Husbandry Department team stationed in the sanctuary where more bird arrivals are expected in the coming months.
Similar bio-security measures have been put in place in all the 487 poultries for broiler chicken and nine hatcheries for country chicken across Erode district. Entry of outsiders was restricted. Bird handlers had been asked to strictly wear hand gloves and gum boots, and abide by other safety protocol. The poultry units were asked to spray disinfectants on bushes in the surroundings and shoo away crows and eagles, to eliminate scope of spread of the disease through droppings, officials said.
Droppings of the birds being reared were being cleaned at frequent intervals to prevent foul smell. All poultries had been instructed to immediately report to nearest Rapid Response Team of veterinarians any incidence of bird death. Forty-two such teams have fanned out to various parts of the 14 blocks in the district.
A day after the bird flu incidence was confirmed following large-scale deaths of ducks in a neighbouring Kerala district last month, the Animal Husbandry Department here had set up check posts at Bannari, Kadambur and Bargur. Vehicles from other States found transporting chicken, eggs and feed are being turned back, Joint Director of Animal Husbandry Department Jayaraman said, adding that daily reports were being sent to the Director of Animal Husbandry Department. Gobichettipalayam is another area where the Department was on alert mode. Poultries have been advised to desist from rearing ducks and chickens at the same location, Dr. Jayaraman said.
