SINKS

UPDATE DECLARATION OF BHAKTAPUR EMERGENCY PUT ON HOLD

Kathmandu, 11 Aug.: The government decision to declare Bhaktapur as Bird Flu Emergency Zone will not be implemented for the time being after frequent efforts to control the bird flu has been unsuccessful, RSS reports..

The government had decided to declare Bhaktapur as bird flu emergency zone in the discussion Saturday among the Department of Livestock Services and Poultry Entrepreneurs Federation under the convenorship of Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture at the ministry Dr. Prabhakar Pathak and had authorized CDO of Bhaktapur to implement it.

The meeting of the Bird Flu Disease Control Technical Committee under the convenorship of CDO Himnath Dawadi at the District Administration Office today, decided not to declare it for until the next three days.

The meeting participated in by CDO Dawadi, and Deputy Director General of the Department of Livestock Services Dr. Ram Krishna Khatiwada, Regional Director Dr. Damodar Sedhain and Poultry Entrepreneurs Federation Bhaktapur officials decided to scrutinize by taking Bhaktapur as high risk zone but not declare the emergency, said Dawadi.

In three days, the Bird Flu Raid Test Teams will be sent to all poultry farms of Bhaktapur, said Dawadi, and emergency zone will be declared if bird flu is found like that so far and all fowls will be culled and poultry related materials destroyed.

Chief of Livestock Office Khagendra Bhatta said bird flu was being controlled in Bhaktapur and there was no situation to panic. Although it was found in ten places in the past it was not found in new places by midday today, he said.
DG Dr. Ramakrishna Khatiwada told entrepreneurs not to panic but should cooperate to control bird flu.Regional Director Dr. Damodar Sedhain said all teams started works from today and it will come under control in a few days.

At the programme, the Poultry Association Bhaktapur submitted a nine-point demands including killing poultry only in farms found bird flu and to implement earlier demands, as well as provide compensation of all poultry since collection of samples.

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TIA RUNWAY SINKS; ALL FLIGHTS DISRUPTED FOR TWO HOURS    Kathmandu, 11 Aug.: TIA runway sank Sunday disrupting internal and international flights. Flights were disrupted for two hours from, 1.30 to 3.15 in the afternoon. nnnn