An ultramodern veterinary diagnostic laboratory has been set up in the State for diagnosis of emerging infectious diseases like bird flu. The laboratory, established at a cost of Rs64 lakh at the Animal Disease Research Institute (ADRI) at Phulnakhara in Cuttack district, 15 km from Bhubaneswar, was inaugurated by Agriculture and Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Minister Pradeep Maharathy on Wednesday.
It may be noted that bio-safety levels (BSl) are designations of laboratories based on the degree of risk associated with the work being conducted and level of precautions required to isolate dangerous biological agents. The levels of containment range from the lowest bio-safety level 1 to the highest at level 4. According to Fisheries and ARD Commissioner-cum-Secretary Bishnupada Sethi, Odisha already has a bio-safety level-1 facility, where the diagnosis of the common disease of animals and birds are carried out.
The State was previously depending on the High Security Animal Disease laboratory in Bhopal, Regional Disease Diagnostic laboratory in Kolkata and the Centre for Animal Disease Research and Diagnosis at Izatnagar in UP for diagnosis of the diseases like bird flu, goat pox, anthrax and brucella. The results of the samples sent to these laboratories were getting delayed, for which the service delivery to farmers was badly affected, an official said.
