Port Blair, Jan 15: Taking advance precautions against Avian Influenza the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have closed doors for avian disease by banning the import of poultry and poultry products.
In view of the outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in some of the States of the country, which is a highly contagious avian disease having the zoonotic potential of causing a huge loss in terms of mortality and trade of poultry, it was necessary to take precautionary measures and restrict the possibility of ingress of the disease into remote Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
In view of the above, the Lt Governor, A&N Islands in a notification has temporarily banned the import of poultry and poultry products from all States and UTs into the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Meanwhile, advisories have already been issued to the concerned authorities for active and targeted surveillance against the disease.
Meanwhile, senior officials of Andaman’s Forest Department told Andaman Sheekha that till now no confirmed report of Bird Flu has been reported from Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
“There haven’t been any reports of Bird Flu in Forest Division and also there is no visible symptom of bird flu in Andamans,” said a senior Forest Official, who does not want his name to be quoted.
A large share of poultry products come to Andaman and Nicobar Islands from the mainland and such a temporary ban on the import of poultry and poultry products from all States and UTs into the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, will certainly result in a hike in the price of poultry products.
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