After bird flu was found in some districts including the capital Kathmandu, high vigilance has been adopted in Kavrepalanchok, the second largest port in the country. For this, bird checking at the main checkpoint of the district has been tightened and discussions with stakeholders have been intensified at the local level.
The Panauti Municipality on Wednesday organized an interaction program with the stakeholders including the poultry, poultry and livestock farmers in the area. Speaking on the occasion, Mayor Bhim Neupane urged the entrepreneurs to take precaution against bird flu and not to hide it if any disease is found. He said, "If you see disease, it is your own loss, it is also the loss of others. Do not allow it to become an epidemic. I urge you to be especially vigilant about it."
Veterinary expert Dr Sudip Humagai urged the entrepreneurs to be vigilant in farm management and sanitation and not to cause loss of life and property. He also pointed out the need to take extra precautions as the current bird-flu infection is seen in people with symptoms of bird flu. He said, "Birdcages should always be kept clean and disinfected. Those who do so must wear masks, boots and gloves."
Mani Prasad Sapkota, a veterinarian of the municipality, said that samples were sent from 50 different places for bird flu tests. Madhusudan Guragai, the advisor of the Poultry Entrepreneurs' Association, urged the entrepreneurs to adopt new safety strategies along with bio-security while the new diseases are crippling the entrepreneurs.
Last week, the Banepa Municipality had also convened a meeting of local stakeholders to discuss the issue of security checks at its border checkpoints with neighbouring districts. The municipality is also carrying out bird-flu activities as per the plan to check the birds in its area. The Veterinary Hospital and Veterinary Services Expert Center have set up a bird testing centre at Mangaltar in Roshi village a few weeks ago under Sanga, the entry point of the valley in the district and VP Highway, the eastern gate of the district. Bird flu has been seen in two places in Morang on January 3 and since then in Chitwan and the federal capital Kathmandu.
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