Shillong, Jan 31: The animal husbandry department has created 138 Rapid Action Team in all the 46 blocks in the state.

Each team comprises of one veterinary Doctor and two assistants.

Stating that this initiative is to scout and be in touch with the farmers, Principal Secretary in-charge Veterinary & Animal Husbandry, GHP Raju said, “We created these teams to link with the farmers, we have to be in touch with farmers round the clock and we have to educate and inform the farmers on how to identify the signs and symptoms of bird flu if there is any.”

In view of the dangers posed by bird flu, the state government has constituted special taskforce are functioning in every block, to monitor the death of poultry. “We are however yet to conduct market survey but with the information we receive it is safe to say that it is safe to consume poultry and poultry product,” Raju added.

Raju also ruled out any sign of bird flu in Meghalaya as well as in other states of the North east.

“There is no cases of bird flu, even in Northeast as the government of Assam, Tripura and Mizoram too monitoring it and this 138 Rapid action team are on the lookout in all the 46 block in our state. We have created 24 hours helpline numbers for the farmers as well.”

He further said, “The ban to bring poultry products from the mainland through Assam is still continuing.”

The principal secretary said that there is no shortage of poultry in the state despite the ban.

“However, we are informing the consumers through the media that not to worry or panic, it is safe to consume poultry and poultry products,” he said.

He however admitted that the demand has come down. “We have 50 million birds both the domestic, the backyard farming and the private poultry owners who are keeping a stock of nearly 4 lakh. The department has nearly 12 poultry farms where nearly 30,000 birds are housed, so enough stock is there of the poultry live birds as well as the eggs,” he added.

With the coming of bird flu to India, the Meghalaya government imposed a ban on the import of poultry, eggs and unprocessed poultry meat into the state and this ban remains in place.