# 4272
With few changes, the story below is one we might have seen last year, or even the year before. H5N1 outbreaks in West Bengal have become a regular event during the winter months.
And almost as predictable as the outbreaks themselves, is the (understandable but unwise) resistance by villagers to culling, and allegations of mismanaged compensation programs.
Based on a news report from a week ago (see Culling To Begin In Murshidabad) this outbreak began with poultry deaths on or about January 5th.
A fair and properly administered culling compensation program is essential for any developing country that hopes to contain their bird flu problems. And along with that must go aggressive public education on the signs, symptoms, and dangers of bird flu.
While a handful of chickens in backyard coops may not seem like much, to many of these villagers it represents a substantial portion of their financial and food security for their families.
Whether the allegations of financial mismanagement have merit or not, the delays in completing culling present an opportunity for the virus to continue to spread.
This report from the Indian Express.
As bird flu strikes again, villagers oppose culling
Ravik Bhattacharya
Thursday , Jan 21, 2010 at 0349 hrs Kolkata:
As bird flu strikes again in Bengal, the state government seems struggling to contain the outbreak.
The outbreak, which started in Khargram block in Murshidabad, has already spread to the neighbouring Kandhi block. The villagers have demanded an increase in compensation and alleged that they are yet to receive aid for the 2008 outbreak.
These include villagers from Borowan, Mahisar, Baliya, Kirtipur, Parulia, Khargram and Jaipur.
As culling teams visited Borowan on Tuesday, locals stopped them from taking away their hens and ducks. Despite police escorts, the teams could not enter the villages. There are 59 culling teams working in the area, most of whom have been given police escorts.