As many as 90 ducks were culled at Chandigarh’s Sukhna lake as part of control and containment measures to prevent the spread of avian influenza, H5N1 in the city.
After the confirmation of deadly H5N1 virus in one of 24 domesticated ducks that had died in Sukhna lake, the Government of India on Thursday issued orders to the UT Administration allowing the culling of ducks at the 3 sq km long artificial waterbody.
Following the detection of bird flu in one of the dead birds, the UT Administration had earlier on Wednesday sounded alert in the Union Territory of Chandigarh, which is also the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana.
To prevent the spread of the avian influenza here, UT Administration had in a meeting on Thursday morning decided to carry out culling of all ducks at Sukhna lake. As many as 24 ducks had died at the lake in past one week.
A 30-member team was constituted to carry out the culling operations at the lake.
The team wearing masks and protective suits carried out the culling operation, which started at 4 pm and lasted till midnight.
Talking to The Pioneer, director, UT animal husbandry and fisheries department, Prince Dhawan, said, “Ninety domesticated ducks were culled on Thursday. The culling operation was carried out following the Government’s orders.”
Dhawan, who has been appointed as nodal officer to supervise the control and containment measures in the city said that a 30-member team carried out the culling operation. Medical examination of the team was also conducted after the culling operation.
The culling operation lasted till late night and the ducks were killed, burned and then buried at the lake’s island.
He added, “No orders regarding culling of poultry in areas adjoining Sukhna lake have been issued.”
“Also, no migratory bird at Sukhna lake will be culled as of now.”
As a precautionary measure, the UT Health Department has been asked to take emergent precautionary measures to check the outbreak of the dreaded avian influenza.
Surveillance of poultry in Chandigarh will be done. The sale of poultry has not been stopped so far and no such orders have been issued, he added.
The Administration had on Thursday morning cordoned off the city’s major tourist spot — Sukhna lake and the entry of people has been banned.
After the culling operation, entry to Sukhna lake will be closed till alteast next one week, said Dhawan.
A day before, the Administration had stopped boating and had closed the CITCO restaurant at Sukhna. The “nature trek” at Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary has also been stopped until next orders.
A team of Regional Disease Diagnostic laboratory (RDDl), Jalandhar in Punjab is already in Chandigarh to assist the officials of UT Administration in preventing the outbreak of bird flu in the city.
The UT officials with the assistance of RDDl team will now carry out cleaning operation at Sukhna lake. Giving information about the same, the nodal officer said, “Disinfection of the lake’s water will be started from Friday morning. An action plan regarding this has been laid down by the UT Administration.”
A day before, a letter from the Union Ministry of Agriculture had confirmed the presence of deadly avian influenza, H5N1 in one of the ducks sample that had died at Sukhna lake.
The UT Departments, including Forest and Wildlife, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, UT Police and Health Department, are jointly working to implement the precautionary steps to prevent the outbreak of bird flu here.
As a precautionary measure, the poultry farm in industrial area here has been closed and concerned officials have been asked to maintain surveillance in areas around poultry located in Chandigarh.