ALAPPUZHA: Combating a deadly bird flu outbreak, hundreds of duck farmers in Kuttanad have urged the government to ensure payment of adequate compensation as they are yet to recover from the loss they suffered due to a similar outbreak two years ago.
Meanwhile, the farmers complained that the authorities have failed in evolving an action plan for containment of the disease in Kuttanad. As per records, the Animal Husbandry department has culled more than 25,000 ducks in Kuttanad. However, the farmers said that they had lost more than 50,000 ducks and in the absence of decisive action, the disease is spreading like wildfire in the region.
Aikya Tharavu Karshaka Sangam president B Rajasekharan said that bird flu is spreading to all panchayats in Kuttanad and the outbreak has triggered panic among farmers.
The Animal Husbandry department claims that they have initiated steps to contain the disease, but every day duck deaths are reported. The disease is posing a threat to public health as the carcasses of birds are lying scattered in paddy fields. The local residents are preventing the duck farmers from removing the carcass from the field fearing the spread of the disease, Rajasekharan said.
If a single duck is affected by bird flu, the disease would spread to the entire flock in the farm, he pointed out. The government departments are conducting surveillance only in select paddy fields in Thakazhi, Cheruthana, Chambakulam and Muttar. But the disease has spread to Chennithala, Thalavadi and Nedumudi in Alappuzha and Aymanam and Arpookara in Kottayam, said Rajasekharan.
Sangam secretary K Samuel said that the government is yet to declare relief to the duck farmers who have suffered huge loss due to the outbreak. The authorities are also not ready to calculate the actual loss suffered by the farmers. They are counting only the ducks buried by the department. However, thousands of ducks have died in remote areas of Kuttanad, he said.
