NRDDL Jalandhar has a capacity to test 1500 samples a day

Chandigarh
The state of Punjab is fully safe from Bird Flu till date but the Government is all set to tackle any situation due to some Bird Flu cases in adjoining states. The Punjab Chief Secretary Mrs. Vini Mahajan held a meeting with the senior officials of the ten concerned departments in this regard today at the Chief Secretary Office. Issuing strict instructions to all the concerned departments, the Chief Secretary directed all to take precautionary measures to prevent the spread of Bird Flu in the state.

Mrs. Vini Mahajan said that all required logistics and funds are available to prevent the spread of Bird flu and lab testing of suspected cases. She also directed the Animal Husbandry Department to withdraw the Covid testing from NRDDL, Jalandhar and fully utilise the facilities at NRDDL, Jalandhar for testing of Bird samples. ‘Results of Bird Flu tests should be made available without any delay,’ directed Chief Secretary.

During the meeting Mrs. Vini Mahajan further directed all the concerned departments to work in coordination to tackle any crisis situation if it arises. The Police and Rural Development and Panchayts department have been asked to keep a close vigil in their respective areas. If any mass mortality of Poultry or other birds is found, they should immediately report it to the Deputy Director Animal Husbandry Department of their respective district. The Chief Secretary also advised the departments to be aware the people against any rumors.

Mr. VK Janjua ACS Animal Husbandry Department informed the Chief Secretary during the meeting that NRDDL Jalandhar has a capacity of testing 1500 samples in a day. He said that NRDDL Lab Jalandhar has a mandate to test samples of 5 North Indian states and 3 UTs. He also briefed that till date four samples of ducks from Tarn taran, Punjab have been received in the lab, earlier Haryana has sent 4 samples but there was no proper outcome of results therefore our teams collected 57 more samples from Haryana and 2 samples of birds have been sent from Sukna Lake by UT. All these results would be made available by tomorrow evening. He further said that only 2 samples of birds sent by Himachal Pardesh have been found positive till date.

The senior officials from Animal Husbandry, Health and Family Welfare, Rural Development, Water Supply and Sanitation, Revenue and Rehablitation, Forest and Wildlife, Police Department, Director CPDO, Chandigarh and Vice Chancellor of GADVASU attended the meeting.