Patna, Jan 23 :Bihar Wednesday ordered the culling of hundreds of chicken in Katihar district that borders West Bengal's bird-flu hit Malda district, as a preventive measure.

"The government has issued orders to start culling of chickens in six panchayats under Azamgarh block in Katihar. Hundreds of chickens will be culled to prevent the spread of bird flu," Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi told IANS.

Modi said the government received reports about a suspected case of bird flu at Mohammedpur in Malda, barely five km from Azamgarh. Katihar district administration has been directed to coordinate with their counterparts in Malda and cull poultry in six panchayats - Khasota, Mimaua, Deogaon, Sitalpati, Garghatu and Anarsinghpur, he added.

Official sources said that rapid response teams have fanned out across the state to check the spread of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus from neighbouring West Bengal districts.

A total of nine of West Bengal's 19 districts are in the grip of bird flu, whose origin remains a mystery and which has caused a nationwide scare.

With over 430,000 birds culled so far and the total expected to cross 2.1 million in West Bengal, officials said culling operations in Malda district would begin only Friday.

Bihar's Kishanganj and Katihar districts share a border with West Bengal's Birbhum and South Dinajpur, which have been affected by bird flu.

Official sources said all the borders have been sealed to check the entry of poultry items into the state. Bihar on Tuesday banned import of poultry from West Bengal.

Kishanganj District Magistrate Sridhar Cherevellu said the administration has been alerted and precautionary measures were being taken.

"Measures have been initiated for decontamination of both the government and private poultry farms," said Anil Kumar, assistant manager of the Bhagalpur regional poultry farm.

(IANS)

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