Bhubaneswar, Jan 12 (PTI): In a bid to check spread of bird flu, Odisha government today began culling of fowls within three km radius of Keranga in Khurda district as advised by the Centre, official sources said.        

“The culling of poultry has been launched at a private firm in Keranga and nearby areas,” Sanjeet Kumar, central government's Nodal Officer for culling, said while supervising the operation in the field. He also said that the entire operation was undertaken with adequate precaution and safeguards.

While culling was on in three km radius of Keranga, surveillance work was undertaken in villages within its 10 (ten) km radius to detect any possible outbreak of avian influenza, Gopal Tripathy, Odisha's Nodal Officer in Fisheries and Animal Resource Development department, said.

The decision of culling operation was taken under an advisory from the Center after re-examination of serum of some infected poultry in Keranga area.

Earlier, tests confirmed trace of H5N1 virus in two dead birds.        

Besides the commercial firm having about 28,000 fowls, culling of other poultry stock was also carried out in the affected areas, Tripathy said.        

The department had trained about 120 personnel including 50 veterinary doctors to undertake culling.        

The state government has also stopped serving eggs in the mid-day meal of schools in the affected areas of Keranga and 16 other adjacent villages.