Via The Telegraph: Bird flu confirmed, culling can wait. Excerpt:
The Malda district administration has said it would not be able to start culling before Thursday despite a confirmed outbreak of avian flu in Chanchol and calls for prompt action from Bengal animal resources development (ARD) minister Anisur Rehman.
In Cooch Behar, on the other hand, the fear of an outbreak raised its head for the first time when 200 chickens died in the poultry of Barek Mian at Kholishamari village in Mathabhanga. Rajendra Sundas, the block development officer of Mathabhanga II, said a medical team would go to the village tomorrow.
In Malda, district magistrate Chittaranjan Das said his office would need the whole of tomorrow to form 135 culling teams and make arrangements for funds for compensation to poultry farmers and disposal of dead birds.
“We are waiting for funds and can start the culling only from Thursday,” Das said. He added that 400 protective suits arrived in Chanchol from Balurghat today.
