Bird flu: Safeguards that could help

Mass burial of the chicken carcasses near the human locations without any treatment can lead to health hazard in humans. Untreated carcasses produce foul leachate, which find its way into ground and drinking water sources. Precaution has to be taken during burying of the carcasses by treating them with protein-digesting bio-culture.

This concerns bird flu's impact on health and environment. I'd like to suggest few safeguards.

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• Mass burial of the chicken carcasses near the human locations without any treatment can lead to health hazard. As this virus will readily spread in the human beings.

• Untreated carcasses produce foul leachate, which find its way into ground and drinking water sources, thus making it un-potable.

• The use of Phenyl, while burying the carcasses kills only the bacteria but may have no effect on viruses. Lime is added to encourage decomposition (conflicting with formalin addition) but produce large volumes of contaminating liquids which can also pollute groundwater.

• The precaution has to be taken during burying of the carcasses by treating them with protein-digesting bio-culture. The bio-culture spray for effective decomposing of the chicken carcasses is available with two organizations in Mumbai, Geetanjali Environment Improvement Society and Dr Maley, Ecosave System Pvt Ltd.

In case of any emergency one can contact the hotline numbers:- Ms Ragini S Jain- 09821280214 Mr IU Pai – 09322518964, Dr Maley – 09820325313 E-mail: geetanjali_enviro@rediffmail.comjainragini@hotmail.commaleys@hotmail.com