VZCZCXRO7869
OO RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHLH RUEHPW
DE RUEHCI #0025/01 0221435
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 221435Z JAN 08
FM AMCONSUL KOLKATA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1840
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE USD FAS WASHINGTON DC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0074
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEIDN/DNI WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME PRIORITY 0004
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 2251

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KOLKATA 000025 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT PLS PASS CDC -- NCOX,  SBLOUNT AND TO HHS - STEIGER, HICKEY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KFLU TBIO EAGR CASC SENV IN
SUBJECT: WEST BENGAL OFFICIAL CLAIMS AVIAN FLU UNDER CONTROL AS 
DISEASE SPREADS 
 
REF: A)  KOLKATA 14    B) KOLKATA 17   C) KOLKATA 19   D)  KOLKATA 23 
 
KOLKATA 00000025  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  On January 22, ConGen, Pol/Econoff and Econ 
FSN met West Bengal State Animal Resource Department (ARD) 
Principal Secretary Dilip Chakraborty to discuss GOWB efforts to 
control the spreading Avian Influenza (AI) in the state, which 
has gone from two districts to seven districts in the past week. 
 Chakraborty did not fully acknowledge the seriousness of the 
situation, claiming the GOWB was managing the outbreak, and 
blaming neighboring Bangladesh's inadequate response to AI for 
the current problem.  Chakraborty said that culling and clean-up 
operations were gaining momentum and that the GOWB hoped to cull 
two million birds in the next six days.  He indicated that the 
GOWB was facing difficulty in procuring personal protective 
equipment (PPE).  ConGen expressed concern about the AI 
situation and extended U.S. cooperation and assistance should 
the local government request it through the GOI.  Contrary to 
Chakraborty's protestations of "everything is under control," 
the GOWB response to the AI outbreak so far has been slow and 
inadequate and the AI infections will likely continue to spread. 
 END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) During a January 22 meeting with Consulate officers, 
¶W. Bengal government ARD Principal Secretary Dilip Chakraborty 
noted that AI has been confirmed in seven state districts, up 
from just two districts in the past week.  He said that with the 
expanded area that the ARD plans to cull two million chickens 
and other birds in the seven districts in six days.  With the 
arrival of veterinary and ARD personnel from other states, 
including Assam, Harayana, and Rajasthan, the number of culling 
teams will number approximately 500.  (Comment:  Considering 
that 300 culling teams were only able to kill 160,000 birds in 
the past five days, the two million culling target is 
optimistic.  End Comment.) 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Chakraborty blamed neighboring Bangladesh for the 
avian influenza outbreak.  Despite the presence of Indian Border 
Security Force (BSF) and the Bangladeshi Rifles (BDR) soldiers, 
he pointed out the free movement of goods and people across the 
international borders, and commented that India will continue to 
be threatened with AI as long as Bangladesh did not take 
adequate measures to control the disease.  He indicated that W. 
Bengal and the GOI have now sealed international and 
inter-district borders to stop the movement of poultry in W. 
Bengal. 
 
¶4. (U) Chakraborty admitted initial problems with the culling 
operations, but attributed the difficulties to two causes, which 
he felt had now been addressed.  Initially, villagers did not 
give the poultry for culling as they were not confident about 
receiving subsequent compensation.  Chakrabarty said the GOWB 
has now adopted a policy of immediate payment when farmers bring 
in birds for culling.  Moreover, on January 19 and 20, 
Chakraborty said that Muslims villagers did not participate in 
culling operations due to the Muharram festival.  Chakraborty 
claimed that the culling has increased following Muharram and 
with cash compensation, more villagers are now complying with 
the cull. 
 
¶5. (SBU) ConGen expressed USG concerns about the spread of AI in 
¶W. Bengal and inquired whether the USG could provide assistance. 
 Chakraborty said that the AI outbreak was under control, but 
that ARD's stock of personal protective equipment (PPE) was 
running low.  The GOWB has ordered 20,000 more kits but the 
supplies are slow in coming.  Chakraborty said that the GOWB 
would continue to work with the GOI for more PPE kits. 
Chakrabarty believed that the shortage of PPE was a result of 
the Chinese government placing an order for one million PPE kits 
with the primary supplier in the United States. 
 
¶6. (U) Chakraborty also criticized the media for 
sensationalizing the AI outbreak.  He complained that AI 
reports, especially those about non-confirmed human infections, 
were inaccurate.  He said that in many cases pictures printed in 
newspapers showing children playing with infected and dead birds 
were staged by reporters. 
 
¶7. (SBU) COMMENT:  Chakraborty's theme of "everything is under 
control" suggests that the GOWB is still not acknowledging the 
seriousness of the state's AI outbreak.  Econ FSN found in his 
visit to the affected areas that the few initial culling teams 
were already suffering severe stress from a task that is both 
 
KOLKATA 00000025  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
mentally and physically taxing.  The rapid spread, from two to 
seven districts in one week, is alarming and indicates that the 
GOWB response has been too slow.  The GOWB is unlikely to meet 
its target of two million birds culled in the next week.  The 
media reports may have some inaccurate information but the media 
has been better at conveying the reality of the AI outbreak than 
the GOWB and the regular headlines have at least forced some 
accountability.  The state government has done a poor job of 
explaining the risks of AI to the affected villagers prompting 
many to not cooperate with the culling or the safety measures. 
The GOWB is unwilling to directly ask for any form of 
international assistance as the Indian bureaucracy requires such 
requests to go through the national government.  Failing an 
effective state-level response, limited GOI inolvement and the 
general unwillingness to accept foreign assistance, the AI 
outbreak in West Bengal will likely continue to spread. 
JARDINE