Govt directs to intensify security check at border as bird flu found in India

File Photo A farmer looks after the chicken at his farm in Beni-7 of Myagdi district, on Friday, December 16, 2016. Photo Courtesy: Rastriya Samachar Samiti

Kathmandu: The government has urged to be on high alert in the Nepal-India border area after bird flu was confirmed in four states of India.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has instructed the subordinate quarantine offices to keep a close watch on the trade of livestock and livestock products entering Nepal from India.

The ministry has directed to make sanitary certificate mandatory for the import of livestock and to tighten the open trade of livestock. Special instructions have been issued to adopt high vigilance at all the checkpoints in the south and demand technical and other resources and manpower if necessary.

The special attention has been requested at Kakadvitta, Birgunj, Bhairahawa, Krishnanagar, Nepalgunj, Kailali and Gaddachauki checkpoints.

There are 16 Animal Quarantine Offices across the country under the Ministry. The ministry has also urged the farmers to contact the ministry or the nearest office immediately if a large number of chickens die or suspicious symptoms are seen anywhere in the country.

So far, no bird flu cases have been reported in any part of the country, the ministry said. Bird flu has been confirmed in Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh in India, according to international media.

In Himachal Pradesh, 2,400 lost ducks migrated from Siberia and Mongolia have died, according to BBC Hindi. According to the BBC, 12,000 ducks have died in Kerala and hundreds of crows have been found dead in Madhya Pradesh in 10 days.