Imphal, January 21: Taking serious note of the outbreak of Bird flu in two districts of West Bengal and its rapid spread to other parts of that State, an emergency meeting of the State Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department held here today at the official level has decided to launch awareness campaign on Bird flu all over the State in phase wise manner with effect from January 23.Disclosing this to The Sangai Express, an official source said that the awareness campaign on Bird flu is to be launched in phasewise manner with effect from January 23 in all the districts to prevent any possibility of its spread to Manipur.

The official level meeting of the Department held today was chaired by Joint Director (Administration) of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Th Jivan.

As part of the proposed campaign, a sensitization programme on Bird flu would be conducted at Mao on January 24, the official said, adding that a team of officials of the Department has already been stationed at the border town of Moreh to monitor import of poultry products from Myanmar.

During the course of the surveillance being conducted by the Department, no report of unnatural death of domestic fowls like hen or ducks have been received for far from anywhere, the official informed, adding that Dr Ng Ibotombi of the Department would be leaving for Shillong on January 28 at the request of Meghalaya Government for imparting training on Bird Flu there.

On the other hand, officials of the Forest and Environment Department have also stepped up their surveillance of migratory birds coming to Manipur in search of food and shelter during winter season even if there have been no report on unnatural death of any migratory birds.