PATNA: Alarmed over the spread of Avian Influenza, the Bihar government has directed the officials of the education department to stop the supply of eggs served to government schools under the Mid-Day Meal scheme.
Sahila, Director of Primary Education and MDM, said, "We have asked the officials concerned to stop the supply of eggs with immediate effect. An alert was issued by union fisheries, animal husbandry and dairy ministry to Bihar government over increasing bird flu incidents."
Sahila added that district education officers and district programme officers have also been asked to comply strictly with the order.
They have been directed to supply seasonal fruits like Apples and Bananas instead of eggs. The supply of eggs will be reinstated once the situation turns normal, the director told TNIE over the phone on March 13.
In addition, the government has stressed the need of an awareness campaign to check the spread of bird flu. The consumption of eggs may prove fatal for people due to infection, a senior health department official said.
As per the rules, eggs are provided to students from classes I to VIII. Vegetarian students are served Bananas and Apples in MDM.
The bird flu was first noticed at a poultry farm at the Indian Institute of Agriculture Research (ICAR)-Research Complex for eastern region in Patna on February 27.
The samples were sent to the Bhopal-based National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases, which tested positive. Bird flu has been confirmed so far in Patna, Bhagalpur and Nawada districts.
The lack of a testing lab in Bihar has left the officials of the concerned department worried.
"The proposal to set up a testing lab has been pending with the union government for more than four years. The lack of testing lab facility has forced us to send the sample either to Bhopal or Kolkata," rued an official from State Animal Husbandry and Fisheries department.
The department had sanctioned Rs.14.92 crore in the financial year 2023-24 for setting up such a testing lab in the state.
An official who preferred anonymity said that though a team from the National Dairy Development Board visited Patna a couple of months ago, no developments are in sight.