India's bioterror law has 33 germs

U. SUDHAKAR REDDY
The government has decided to include 33 microorganisms including virus, bacteria and fungi which could be used to wage biological terror attacks, in the new Epidemic Diseases ActExperts have identified 16 viruses, 15 bacteria and two fungi as potential bio-terror threats. These include agents causing anthrax, small pox, plague, cholera and botulism. Enterotoxins (toxins released inside the body by microorganisms) and mycotoxins (poisonous substances produced by fungii) are also listedUnder the new law, the government can notify an area as affected, restrict movement of people or quarantine them, enter any premises to take samples of suspected materialsThe bill lists 33 epidemicprone diseases like kala azar, chikungunya, yellow fever, food poisoning, HIV/AIDSThe move to amend the 112-year-old legislation gained momentum follow ing the outbreak of swine flu recently, and avian flu and Severe Acute Respi ratory Syndrome earlierThe Centre is in touch with the state health depart ment to suggestions to make the new legislation, to be known as the Public Health Act, more stringentAn official of health department said the Epidemic Act of 1897 is to be replaced by the new act The threat of bio-terrorism is also to be addressed in this act,” the National Institute of Communicable Diseases and the Indian Council of Medical Research have played a key role in drafting the billThe guidelines to fight bioterror were framed by the National Disaster Management Authority has issued guidelines to fight bioterroism. The National Industrial Security Academy (NISA) at Hakimpet and the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) at Ramanthapur in the city are already involved in training the fight against bio-terrorThe CFSL has created a laboratory facility for nuclear, biological and chemical warfare and is equipped to meet any eventuality arising of a bioterror attack. NISA has been training law enforcing agencies on fight biochemical attacks.