Lok Sabha Question No. 91 (STARRED), answered on 2016-11-22
Subject: Bird Flu
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: P.K.SREEMATHI TEACHER, HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY, DAIRYING AND FISHERIES

LOK SABHA

STARRED QUESTION NO. 91 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22 ND  NOVEMBER 2016

## BIRD FLU

## * 91 SHRIMATI P.K. SREEMATHI TEACHER: DR. HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE क ृ षि और कृ िक कल्याण मंत्री be pleased to state:

- (a) Whether the Government has taken cognizance of bird flu outbreak in Kerala and other States recently;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with  reported loss of bird/poultry population;
- (c) whether the Government has any plan to give compensation to the affected poultry farmers and if so, the details thereof along with the quantum of financial assistance to be provided to each State/UT;
- (d) whether the Government has constituted a committee for monitoring the outbreak of bird flu across the country and issued guidelines to State Governments for control and containment of bird flu and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether the virus strains of bird flu are found to be infectious with adverse impact on humans and if so, the corrective steps taken by the Government to control the spread of bird flu in the country?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE

कृ षि और कृ िक कल्याण मंत्री (SHRI RADHA MOHAN SINGH)

(a) to (e) : A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

Statement referred to in reply to parts (a) to (e) of the Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 91 for 22 nd November, 2016 regarding 'Bird Flu'

(a) and  (b):    The  outbreaks  of  Avian  Influenza  was  reported  in  National  Zoological  Park,  New Delhi on 17-10-2016 which was followed by outbreak in Gandhi Zoological Park, Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) on 21-10-2016.  Outbreaks of Avian Influenza H5N8 virus have been reported from various epicenters  of  Alappuzha  and  Kottayam  districts  of  Kerala  from  24-10-2016.  An  outbreak  in  village Damenheri, tehsil Rajpura in Patiala district of Punjab was reported on 25-10-2016.  On 03-11-2016, the outbreak was reported at Hissar, Haryana. An outbreak of H5N8 AI virus was also reported at Itagi village, Hospet Taluk of Bellary district in Karnataka on 10-11-2016.

The  State  Governments  have  carried  out  control  and  containment  operations  as  per  Action  Plan  on Preparedness, Control and Containment of Avian Influenza.   Sanitization Certificates have been issued by the States after completion of control and containment operations. The Post Operation Surveillance is undergoing in Punjab, Haryana and Karnataka. The control and containment operation is going on in Kerala. Culling operation at epicenters is over, except at Punnapra in Alappuzha district.  Surveillance is continuing throughout the country. The details of mortality, the number of birds culled, number of eggs and quantity of poultry feed destroyed is given in Annexure.

(c) As per Action Plan, there is a provision to  give  compensation to the poultry  farmers for the forced culling of the birds and destruction of eggs and poultry feed at the fixed rates. The amount of compensation  is  shared  between  the  Central  and  State  Government  on  50:50  sharing  basis.  The compensation  is  paid  only  in  the  event  of  confirmation  of  Avian  Influenza  and  the  culling  of  the poultry in 1 km radius of the epicentre. The concerned states are required to submit the details of the funds required.

(d) The Central Govt. was constituted a committee for constant monitoring of the situation under co-ordination of Joint Commissioner, DADF comprising representatives from M/o Health and Family Welfare,  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forests  and  Climate  Change  (MoEF  &  CC),  DARE  to  closely monitor and render support to the State Govt. on the situation.   The necessary guidelines have been issued to all the states on control and containment of the disease.

(e)  The Ministry  of  Health  &  Family  Welfare  has  informed  that  as  per  the  current  knowledge,  the public health risk to human population is considered low for Avian Influenza sub-type H5N8. However as  a  matter  of  abundant  caution Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has issued an advisory to the States/UTs to minimize bird-human interface, use of  personal protective equipment by those handling dead/sick  birds,  keep  persons  exposed  to  the  dead/sick  birds  under  surveillance  and  providing  them chemoprophylaxis (Oseltamivir 75 mg) once daily for 10 days.

## Annexure

## Table: Birds died, Culling of birds and destruction of eggs and poultry feed in various states (till 18-11-2016)

| State            | Bird died   | Bird culled   | Eggs destroyed   | Feed destroyed (kgs)   |
|------------------|-------------|---------------|------------------|------------------------|
| Madhya Pradesh   | 15*         | 0             | 0                | 0                      |
| Haryana (Hissar) | 14          | 944           | 20               | 865                    |
| Haryana (Rohtak) | 2*          | 00            | 0                | 0                      |
| Punjab           | 10          | 43            | 0                | 0                      |
| Karnataka        | 900         | 693           | 45               | 1080                   |
| Kerala           | 11112       | 667857        | 152313           | 9460                   |
| New Delhi        | 123*        | --            | -                | -                      |

*Undomesticated birds