Panaji, Jul 24 (TH): South Goa District Magistrate on Thursday imposed a ban on the import of all types of birds including poultry birds from Karnataka to Goa as a precautionary measure to avert infiltration of infection of bird flu in Goa.

South Goa Collector Swapnil Naik told The Hindu on Saturday that the action was taken after State Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services (AHVS) forwarded to south Goa Magistrate a report submitted to it from Pune-based AHVS laboratory, confirming bird flu (Avian Influenza) outbreak in Humnabad of Bidar district of Karnataka, recently.

Sources in Goa Department of AHVS said that on May 9, the bird flu outbreak in Humnabad of Bidar district was confirmed by the Bhopal-based High Security Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL) as well.

The Magistrate has directed that precautionary measures be taken on both the border posts at Mollem and Polem to ensure complete prevention of entry of any birds from Karnataka.

Mr. Naik said that the order will be reviewed after a few days and decision taken whether to continue the same.

The tourist State of Goa gets its major import of chicken from Karnataka and as such this ban could adversely affect the business, said sources in poultry industry.

North Goa Collector Nila Mohanan, however, told The Hindu that she had not got any report in this regard from the State Department of AHVS so far.