The spread of the virus was first confirmed by the high-security Animal Diseases Laboratory on January 14, five days after blood samples were collected from villages in Margram in Birbhum district. Later, the avian influenza spread throughout the state. Initially, the government concluded that the migratory birds from Bangladesh had carried the virus.

Apparently refuting the earlier conclusion, Animal Resources Development minister Anisur Rahaman told reporters at Writers’ Buildings today that he is not sure about the reasons for the large-scale spread of bird flu. The committee will examine how the H5N1 virus managed to infect backyard poultry in the state, he said.

The villagers in 14 districts of the state had faced severe losses owing to culling operations conducted by the ARD. Around 40 lakh backyard chicken were culled and government had issued an order banning poultry production in at least 45 blocks in 13 districts.

“This (the virus and the government’s handling of the situation) might hit the popular vote bank of the ruling party, so the committee has been asked to submit a detailed report about the losses,” said a senior official of the department.

The minister said that the government has already paid compensation to the villagers who lost their chickens during the culling operations.