Imphal, August 07: While appealing to the people to report matters related to dereliction of duty on the part of any of the personnel of the Rapid Response Team (RRT) pressed for culling domestic fowls from within 5 radius of the Chingmeirong poultry farm from where the outbreak of Bird flu was first confirmed, Director of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Dr Th Dorendro has admitted that more fowls have been killed than the actual number announced by the Government earlier.

However, he hastened to clarify that it was due to hasty calculation based on the Livestock Census of 2003 and the work had been done in the interest of the public and the poultry farm owners.

Meanwhile, a team of Veterinary doctors have been reportedly despatched to Tamenglong district following the report of mass death of hens to verify the matter.

Talking to mediapersons at the Bird flu Control Room set up in the Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry today, Debendra said the Department had faced problem of lack of adequate manpower in the process of carrying out culling domestic fowls to combat further spread of Bird flu.

Therefore the public should understand conditions under which the personnel of the Rapid Response Team (RRT) have to discharge their duties.

However the Director also appealed to the public to report the matters related to dereliction of duty on the part of any of the personnel of the RRT involved in the ongoing culling exercise so that necessary action could be taken up in future.

The Director clarified that killing more number of domestic fowls than what the Government had announced, earlier based on the Livestock Census, 2003 was mainly due to increase in the number of domestic fowls in the intervening period and estimation carried out hastily.

But all these have been done in the interest of the public and farm owners to combat further spread of the dreaded Avian Influenza, he said.

He fervently appealed to the people not to hide or divert any of the domestic fowls if left out from the culling process.

The Director explained that after the completion of the ongoing culling process, the Union Ministry concerned would be issuing a certificate giving clearance on rearing domestic fowls like hens and ducks and transportation of poultry products like eggs within five 5 km radius of the affected area.

However, until the completion of three months from the receipt of the clearance certificate no such activities would be allowed, he added.

The State Government has also issued an order giving permission to selling or rearing of domestic fowls and poultry products beyond 10 kms radius of the affected Chingmeirong farm.

Nonetheless, precautionary measures would be continued to be taken to combat spread of Bird flu, the Director informed.

In response to a question, the Veterinary Director said how the disease has been spread in Manipur has not been ascertained.

Once it is known, it would be imperative to take up necessary preventive measures to prevent such outbreak in future.

The Director sought the co-operation of all the people in finding out the root cause of the outbreak of Bird flu in Manipur.

It is said over 3 lakhs of domestic fowls have been culled and buried by the RRT personnel since the culling exercise began on July 15 till August 3 besides another 5,114 domestic fowls left out from the process.