BAN LIFTED IN J&K DESPITE CONFIRMED CASES

The Jammu and Kashmir government has lifted the ban on import of poultry and poultry products from this week with some preconditions, though the UT on Friday confirmed cases of avian influenza in crows, migratory and wild birds.

In an order issued earlier this week, the UT government had said they had decided to lift the ban. Bird flu has not been reported in poultry in J&K but the Union Territory has been among the 12 states confirmed to have avian influenza in birds, according to a statement issued by the ministry of fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying on Friday. On January 7, the Jammu & Kashmir administration had banned the import of poultry after the Centre had issued advisories asking local authorities to keep a close vigil to contain the spread of avian influenza or bird flu. The new order stated that it is mandatory for the importers and suppliers to provide a certificate from the district veterinary officer or chief animal husbandry officer of the concerned district of the state that the source of poultry is not from any infected or suspected area and also not within 10 kilometers radius of notified zone.

The order said the director animal husbandry Kashmir will setup a robust surveillance centre at Lower Munda to lift samples from each vehicle carrying poultry for testing and the director animal husbandry, Jammu, will further strengthen the surveillance system including testing of samples from each consignment at Lakhanpur.