Red alert sounded in Nagaland

KOHIMA: A red alert has been sounded in Nagaland after the outbreak of bird flu in neighbouring Manipur and authorities have stepped up checking poultry and poultry products through inter-state entry gates.

The state authorities were also conducting surveillance in the state, official sources here said.

The department of veterinary and animal husbandry held a high level meeting on Thursday and decided to intensify the existing ban on import of poultry and pigs and their products from neighbouring Manipur and Myanmar.

Veterinary and animal husbandry joint director Dr LS Moses said the department would carry out fogging (deinfection) on all vehicles entering the state from Manipur at Khuzama and Phesama check gates and asked the villagers in the nearby areas to co-operate with the government officials.

The department would deploy additional manpower to assist the existing staff manning the veterinary check posts to strictly impose the ban.

The department, which issued does and don'ts to the people from time to time in case of poultry deaths in the villages, also asked the villagers not to panic.