Warding off avian flu

This is in reference to the edit page article “Combating the threat of avian influenza”. For the very first time, the avian influenza (avian flu) has entered Nepal. This has led to great fears in the poultry industry and the households as well. However, the general public does not seem to be aware of the do’s and don’ts even as the threat of bird flu looms. Many consumers feel that eating chicken and poultry based products must be immediately stopped. Many people are unaware that the best precaution is avoiding direct handling of dead and suspicious birds. Bird flu virus is not transmitted from the poultry meat. It is only present in various excretions and secretions of the birds (faeces, saliva, nasal secretions, contaminated feathers, etc). For consumption purposes, the bird should be well dressed and properly cooked.

Biosecurity should be strictly maintained in the poultry farms. Live markets of the birds are a potential source of virus transmission. There is no need to hesitate to consume properly cooked fresh and uncontaminated meat. To ward off the threat of bird flu, the government should provide health certificates to fresh houses and daily supervision of the poultry farms should be undertaken by authorised veterinary officers.

Dr. Sital Kaji Shrestha, India

Hard time

As a student in Australia, I have trouble finding a job. I have been searching for a job for months but there is difficulty even in finding one like dish- washing. There are thousands of students who have a similar story to tell. Therefore, a prospective student who wants to work and study at the same time must think twice before deciding to go to Australia.

Bipin Rijal, Melbourne,

Australia

Trolleys

I just returned to Nepal after a year abroad. When I was abroad, I had learnt through various newspapers online that people were donating trolleys to Tribhuvan

International Airport. Not only organisations but also business people had promised to donate trolleys to the airport. But when I returned two days back, I had to wait an hour to get a trolley. I asked an airport employee and he suggested that I go out and get one. When I reached the parking area, some of the porters were in charge of the few trolleys there. I was asked to pay Rs.100 but I paid Rs.50 to them. There were many people like me in search of a trolley and most of them were tourists. This is the condition of our one and only international airport while the government is dreaming of attracting a million tourists in 2011. If this remains the case, the image of the country together with its tourism will suffer in the days to come.

Nimesh Upadhaya, Sanepa, Lalitpur

Great idea

Apropos of the news report “Energy from garbage” (THT, Feb.1), it is indeed a praiseworthy idea to generate electricity from garbage. The world is facing a huge energy crisis due to the over-exploitation of non-renewable natural resources. On the other hand, our country, despite being one of the richest in water resources, is still facing many hours of load

shedding. Considering the situation, the people attempting to utilise garbage for the purpose must be supported.

Rhea Gurung, Shital Marg, Maharajgung