Minister distributes chickens in bird flu zone

The decision by the West Bengal animal development resources department to distribute free chickens to self help groups in Murshidabad was violating the 90-day ban on poultry rearing that was needed to prevent the fresh outbreak of bird flu in the state, according to the Malda Zilla Parishad Sabhadhipati Siddika Begum of the Congress.

Malda reported bird flu cases less than a week ago.

Anisur Rahaman, state minister for animal resources, however, denied this charge and said that the distribution was a part of the government's effort to bring the poultry sector in the state back on track.

On her part, Siddika trashed the minister's actions as a political gimmick to win votes for the CPI(M) ahead of the Panchayat elections even if it meant encouraging the fresh outbreak of bird flu.

"Murshidabad has still been not declared as a bird flu-free zone. In such a situation how can a minister distribute chickens - this is purely an effort to win votes before the elections," she said.

In response, the minister said, "I was taken aback by the response of the Malda sabhadhipati. The chickens were being distributed in presence of veterinary doctors. There is no bird flu scare in Murshidabad".

The minister added, "The poultry trade in the state cannot come to a halt. Moreover, the chickens distributed were of finest in quality, reared in government-owned poultries".

Rahaman's enthusiasm was understandable, as he explained, "The distribution of chickens is a part of our scheme to give 20 lakh chickens to the self help groups. The scheme had come to a temporary halt due to bird flu."

Meanwhile, blood samples of three dead birds from Jalpaiguri had to be sent for examination at the animal disease testing laboratory in Bhopal. In Malda, where bird flu was reported in a state-run poultry, the culling operations would end in a day or two, the minister said.

On Sunday, the minister distributed chickens among self help group members during the inauguration ceremony of a veterinary polyclinic at Behrampore.

Upset by this move, Siddika, who was present at the ceremony, left the venue in protest as she felt this would increase chances of a fresh outbreak of bird flu.