Fear grips Hessarghatta
By Sharadha Kalyanam - BANGALORE
02nd November 2012 11:24 AM
A sanitisation team inspecting the area around the Central Poultry Development Organisation (CDPO) in Hessarghatta on Thursday. Thousands of birds were culled at the poultry farm following an outbreak of avian influenza| Nagaraj Gadekal
Bhagyalakshmi (name changed) is a tailor who lives half a kilometre away from the Central Poultry Development Organisation (CPDO) farm in Hessarghatta. She and her family used to have chicken regularly, but now they have stopped eating it following outbreak of avian influenza.
“Some disease has killed many birds in the nearby farm. That’s why poultry shops have stopped selling chicken. If we eat chicken, we may also get the disease,” Bhagyalakshmi said looking at the seven hens running around in her porch.
A day after all the birds at the CPDO farm were culled and disposed of, fear gripped the residents of Hessarghatta on Thursday. They have avoided eating chicken and eggs as a precautionary measure and are waiting for the announcement from the authorities to declare that the zone is safe.
As announced earlier by M K Aiyappa, Deputy Commissioner, Bangalore Urban, there will be a total ban on the sale and the movement of poultry in the 10-kilometre surveillance zone around the outbreak point till November 15.
When Express visited the farm on Thursday, the people expressed worry over the possibility of contracting the avian influenza. Despite official announcements that the pandemic potential of the influenza is low, is fear looming large among the locals.
Abhilash, who works in a tissue culture laboratory near Hessarghatta, has decided to give up chicken for sometime. “All birds have been killed. But we don’t know if the place is safe for us to stay,” he said.
However, an official from the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, at Hessarghatta denied that the flu was likely to be a health concern.
“There is no reason for panic as the strain of avian influenza which has affected the birds at the CPDO is not capable of causing a pandemic among people,” said an official on condition of anonymity.
Though all chicken shops in Hessarghatta remained closed, business continued as usual at Chikkabanavara and T Dasarahalli situated 11-12 km away. But the dealers said that customer turnout is pretty low as they are worried about the flu. http://newindianexpress.com/cities/bangalore/article1323678.ece?