As an action plan for tracking migratory birds across the country was being prepared, the Union Environment Ministry wrote to the State Chief Secretaries and Chief Wildlife Wardens asking them to create monitoring committees for avian influenza.
States including Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh have recorded a significant number of deaths, including those of migratory birds. “At the ICAR-National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases, Bhopal, samples have been tested and found to be H5Nl Avian Influenza Virus positive,” the letter said.
It added that, taking into account the serious condition and the risk of the transmission of the disease to humans and other domesticated animals, all measures to control the spread of the disease have to be taken by the States and the territories of the Union. “…take, on a priority basis, the surveillance and monitoring of birds for any signs of disease, and take appropriate control measures.”
According to the World Health Organisation, human beings may be infected with avian influenza or bird flu mainly by close contact and can cause diseases ranging from moderate fever and cough, early sputum development and gradual progression to extreme pneumonia, shock sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and even death.
The Centre has advised the Governments, with utmost care and under scientific observation, to gather samples of migratory and dead birds. Surveillance should not be confined to protected areas only and should be applied to all wetlands and habitats hosting migratory birds and to areas with the potential for migratory and poultry bird encounters, the advisory said.
“All deaths of migratory birds—their number and cause are to be reported to the environment ministry immediately,” the letter said.
“Intensive surveillance should be undertaken to look for any unreasonable bird behaviour, or death among wild birds as well as migratory birds. Vigilance should be stepped up in the zoos also.”
The states have been asked to send weekly reports to the ministry with details from important bird sites, number and species of birds that arrived, approximate period of arrival and stay, any changes in migratory pattern vis a vis number, arrival sites, etc as compared to previous years.
