Itahari, January 21:

An all-party meeting held here today decided to impose ban on the import of birds and poultry products in Sunsari district to prevent the outbreak of the disease in the district.

According to Sunsari CDO Durga Prasad Bhandari, monitoring will begin along the border to stop imports of poultry products from India.

Adequate number of security personnel, livestock technicians and employees of animal quarantine will be deployed in different entry points in the district for the purpose, Bhandari said.

“People involved in smuggling of poultry products would be subjected to harsh punishment,” he added.

The meeting also decided to enforce a regulation which demands importers to present health certificate while importing birds and poultry products in the district.

“The rule also applies while importing poultry products from nearby districts,” he said, adding, “The internal movement of birds and poultry products on East-West

Highway will be allowed on the recommendations of livestock specialists.”

The meeting also decided to allow unhindered movement of poultry products within the district, except in Dharan.

Earlier, an all-party meeting held in Dharan had decided to stop movement of poultry products into the city from other parts of the district.

Chief district officer Bhandari, local development officer, livestock service officials,

representatives of all political parties, security personnel of both Armed Police Force

and civilian police, representatives of different government

offices, meat sellers, poultry entrepreneurs and civil society members participated at the meeting.