Bharatpur, a sprawling bird sanctuary situated in Rajasthan has planned to open a laboratory to test for the avian flu virus.
According to one proposal, the laboratory may come up in the Keoladeo Ghana bird sanctuary in Bharatpur district, 170 km from here. Officials said Keoladeo Ghana was chosen because thousands of birds from various countries visit it every year, increasing the risk of bird flu in the region.The Bharatpur sanctuary is among India's premier wildlife sanctuaries. It is a marshy area spread over 29 sq km of forests, grasslands and shallow lakes.
Over 370 species of birds, native as well as migratory, are usually visible in the park, especially between October and March.
--Edited IANS
