THENI/TENKASI/KANNIYAKUMARI: In the wake of the bird flu outbreak in Kerala, officials in Theni, Tenkasi and Kanniyakumari districts have intensified the adoption of preventive measures across Tamil Nadu-Kerala borders. In Kanniyakumari, vehicles laden with poultry and poultry products coming from Kerala were denied entry into the district, and sent back to the neighbouring state. Three teams of Kanniyakumari animal husbandry department officials have been tasked to ensure surveillance at the Kaliyakkavilai region bordering Kerala, sources said.
Speaking to TNIE, animal disease intelligence unit's assistant director Dr S Subramanian said on Sunday, "Each of the three surveillance teams comprises a veterinary doctor, livestock inspector and an assistant, and they have been put on duty for eight hours every day. All the goods-laden vehicles coming to Kanniyakumari from Kerala are also being sprayed with chlorine dioxide."
Official sources stated that veterinary doctors are also visiting poultry farms in Kanniyakumari district to check if there has been any mass deaths of birds recently. However, no such incident has been reported so far, they added.
Meanwhile in Theni, vehicles on the way from Kerala to Bodinayakanur Mettu, Cumbum Mettu and Kumuli were disinfected at the check post. Thorough checking by Tamil Nadu veterinary teams is in place in the borders, as instructed by Regional Joint Director Kovilraja. Also, preventive camps have been set up at all the check posts in the Theni-Kerala border. Similarly, vehicles plying to Kerala from the state are also disinfected before crossing the border, sources said.
Whereas in Tenkasi, the Tamil Nadu Animal Husbandry Department (AHD) has set up a 'bird flu check post' at Puliyarai to prevent the disease from spreading in the state. The staff at the check post have so far sprayed disinfectants on hundreds of Tamil Nadu-bound vehicles from Kerala, and those vehicles which carried chickens, ducks, eggs, chicken feed and poultry waste, were sent back. In addition to these inspections, regular checking is conducted by the Puliyarai police as well, sources added.