Culling of birds began on Friday following an outbreak of bird flu (H5N1) in Alappuzha district.
Officials of the Animal Husbandry department say that rapid response teams have so far culled 4,240 birds, including ducks, chickens, quails, turkeys and parrot, in the grama panchayats of Nedumudi (2,663), Karuvatta (715), Karthikappally (445), Thakazhi (286), and Kumarapuram (131).
Culling operations will be carried out in Punnapra South, Cheruthana, Purakkad and Ambalappuzha South panchayats on Saturday.
Bird flu cases have been reported from one ward each in the panchayats of Nedumudi, Cheruthana, Karuvatta, Karthikappally, Ambalappuzha South, Punnapra South, Thakazhi and Purakkad. Though not an epicentre, Kumarapuram panchayat was declared an infected zone as it falls within a one-km radius of Karthikappallay.
Meanwhile, in view of the avian flu outbreak and the ongoing culling operations in nine panchayats, District Collector Alex Varghese has ordered a one-week ban on the use, sale, transport and marketing of ducks, chickens, quails and other domesticated birds, as well as their eggs, meat, droppings (manure), frozen meat and other related products, within the surveillance zone extending up to a 10-km radius from the epicentres and infected zone.
The surveillance zone includes the following local bodies: Alappuzha municipality, Haripad municipality, Ambalappuzha South, Ambalappuzha North, Punnapra South, Punnapra North, Purakkad, Kainakary, Champakulam, Ramankary, Veliyanad, Pulinkunnu, Nedumudi, Thalavady, Muttar, Edathua, Thakazhi, Thrikkunnapuzha, Arattupuzha, Kandallu, Pathiyoor, Muthukulam, Karuvatta, Kumarapuram, Karthikappally, Chingoli, Veeyapuram, Pallippad, Cheruthana, Cheppad, Chettikulangara, Chennithala, Mannar, Niranam and Kadapra grama panchayats.
In these local bodies, secretaries have been directed to ensure that there is no sale or transport of eggs, meat or manure of ducks, chickens, quails or other domesticated birds. Special squads should be formed for this purpose and strict inspections conducted.
Meanwhile, rearing of birds has been banned for a period of three months in the infected zone within a one-kilometre radius of the epicentres. The tahsildars of Ambalappuzha, Karthikappally and Kuttanad have been instructed to form special inspection squads and carry out strict checks and monitoring in the local bodies concerned.
In areas where the ban is in force, food safety officers have been directed to ensure that no food items prepared using the meat or eggs of these birds are sold.