Imphal, August 12: EWith the culling exercise of domestic fowls almost over, the Joint Secretary of Union Ministry of Agriculture and the Joint Secretary of Union Health Ministry would be arriving at Imphal tomorrow to personally take stock of the measures being taken up by the State Government to control further spread of Bird flu in the State.

On the other hand, with the assistance of the police, personnel of four Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department started from today culling of domestic fowls like hen and duck which are allegedly being kept concealed by poultry farmers living within 5 km radius of the Chingmeirong farm from where the outbreak of the disease was first reported.

According to an official source, Joint Secretary of Union Health Ministry Binit Chawdry and Joint Secretary of Union Agriculture Ministry Upama Chawdry would be coming to Imphal tomorrow to personally inspect the task of culling the fowls and health surveillance exercise being taken up by the RRT personnel of Veterinary and Health Departments.

After their arrival, the two Joint Secretaries will visit some poultry farms to inspect the sanitation programmes being taken up after the culling exercise.

In view of the proposed visit, the RRT personnel of the Veterinary Department stepped up sanitisation programme of applying lime powders in and around the poultry farms and sealing of the same even as the IMC removes garbage from Imphal Municipal areas.

As for today, in all 29 RRTs were pressed into action for the sanitation and sealing of the poultry farms while three other teams joint hand with the personnel of IMC in removing garbage and applying lime powder.

A joint meeting with the officials of the Veterinary and Health Departments would also be convened tomorrow to review the ongoing exercise of containing bird flu in the State.

The visiting Central officials are also likely to meet the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary to discuss the issue on August 13.Meanwhile, four RRTs of the Veterinary Department have started culling of the domestic fowls which are allegedly being kept concealed by the farmers in Imphal East and Imphal West District with the help of the police from today.

It is said that during the period from July 26 to August 3, a total of 331606 domestic fowls, 28,222 poultry products and 23,150 kgs of poultry feeds have been culled from areas Within 5 kms radius of the Chingmeirong farm besides another 6388 left out fowls yesterday.

Seven RRTs have also been conducting surveillance in area within 5 kms to 10 radius to detect cases of death of domestic fowls.

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