Nongpoh, Nov 10: The Meghalaya Poultry Farmers and Welfare Association has once again urged the state government to fulfil its long-pending assurance of establishing a dedicated quarantine check post at Umling to monitor the health of poultry entering Meghalaya from outside the state and prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
Speaking to the media, association representative Daminot Sylliang said the demand was not a new one, as the organisation had repeatedly approached the Chief Minister and the concerned minister to highlight the urgent need for a dedicated facility to examine the health conditions of poultry brought into the state.
He stated that the government’s repeated assurances of a quarantine check post have failed to materialise.
Sylliang further informed that the association had continued to pursue the matter and, during its last meeting with the government, had even informed the authorities that it had already taken a 1.5 acre plot on lease at Umling for the proposed facility, following years of waiting and negotiations.
However, expressing disappointment over the latest developments, he said that during a meeting convened by the Deputy Commissioner, the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department reportedly clarified that the 1.5 acre plot previously discussed with the association was not intended for poultry quarantine purposes but rather for cattle shed.
Expressing strong dissatisfaction, Sylliang accused the government of failing to honour its assurances, stating that the matter could no longer be delayed. He also raised concerns over the increasing spread of poultry-related diseases brought into the state, warning that the situation was creating serious difficulties for local poultry farmers and could also pose potential health risks to consumers.
