New Delhi, March 13 -- Bihar, which is currently witnessing an outbreak of bird flu, does not yet have a testing facility to confirm it. According to officials, with the state experiencing frequent outbreaks, the need for such a laboratory now is greater than ever before.

The government has been planning for nearly 5-6 years to set up a testing lab facility in Bihar for confirmation of bird flu, an official of the state animal and fisheries resources department told Down To Earth (DTE).

The department did sanction Rs 14.92 crore in financial year 2023-24 for setting up such a lab. It has also consulted different agencies in this regard. A few months ago, a National Dairy Development Board team visited Patna in this connection.

But the ...