Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 28:
Alerting the State Government, the Union Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Animal Husbandry has instructed the State Government to organise a seminar at the level of the Panchayat on bird flu and has also subsequently sent the name of the medicine to be used in case the disease breaks out in Manipur.
Speaking to The Sangai Express a reliable source said that the Union Ministry of Agriculture has written to the State Chief Secretary Jarnail Singh to conduct a seminar at the level of Panchayat and sensitise the people to the H5N1 virus which has claimed the lives of many at Europe, South Asia and China.
Following the instructions from the Centre, process to organise the seminar has started with the State Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department as the co-ordinating body.
The seminar will be held sometime in the first week of December, said the source and added that Health, Forest, Police, Municipality, district administrations and Panchayat will take part in the seminar.
The Centre has also instructed the State Government to procure and stock the medicine �Oseltamivir� to meet the challenges of bird flu.
The State has also been asked to buy fogging machines to fumigate suspected areas.
A two day meeting for all the North East States may be held at Guwahati tomorrow on bird flu, said the source adding that the meeting, if it takes place, will be organised by the Union Agriculture Ministry.
Meanwhile, the Forest Department has furnished the names of the migratory birds which come to Manipur during winter to the Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department.
The birds which home in at Loktak are, Shovellor (Khara), Gadwall (Nganu Thoidingnam), Common Teal (Surit), Wigeon (Thangongman), Pintail duck (Meitunga), Garganey (Surit Angouba), Coot (Nganu Porom), Hooded Crane (Wainu), Pochard (Irupi), White eyed Pochard (Irupi), Red Crested Pochard (Irupi), Lesser Whistling Teal (Tingi), Larger Whistling Teal (Tingi), Ruddy Shelduck (Nganu Thongong), Alexandrine (Tenawa), Blossom Headed Parakul (Tenava), Bar Headed Goose (Kanga), Common Shelduck (Nganu Chinganbi) and Cormorant (Ura).
The birds which arrive at the Yangoupokpi Lokchao Wild Life Sanctuary include Burmese Red Watted Lapwing (Salangzak), Kite (Umaibi), Kite (Umaibi Linphabi), Larger Falcon (Khunu Kharang), Burmese Francolin (Kabo Urinbi), Burmese Pea fowl (Wahong Ashangba) Parrot species (Tenava) while the birds that come to Barak valley include Red Legged Falcon (Khunukharang Khongangbi).
In another development morning joggers came across a dead Moorhen near the Gauhati High Court some time back.
The carcass of the bird has been handed over to the Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department.