A total of 380 poultry birds has been found dead due to bird flu in Maharashtra. Of the 380 poultry birds, 190 were from Nandurbar, 115 in Amravati, 40 in Jalgaon, 25 in Parbhani and 10 in Palghar district. The samples are being sent for testing to the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal and Disease Investigation Section, Pune.
According to the department of animal husbandry, so far, 7,20,515 poultry birds including 5,86,668 birds from Navapur in Nandurbar district, 26,44,177 eggs and 73,004 kg poultry feed have been scientifically destroyed within a radius of 1 km from the poultry farm in the infected zones.
The state government has released Rs 3.38 crore towards compensation to the poultry farmers where the culling of poultry birds, disposal of eggs and poultry feed have been carried out in the infected zones for containment of bird flu.
The state government has delegated powers to the district collectors under the provisions of the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals Act, 2009 for the prevention, control and eradication of bird flu.
The district administration has started the process of declaration of ‘’Alert Zone’’ in an area of mortality in poultry birds, suspected to be dead of bird flu and ensuring necessary precautionary and preventive measures are undertaken under the powers conferred to them.
The poultry farmers are urged to follow strict biosecurity measures. The chicken shop proprietors are strictly directed to use gloves, a mask covering the mouth and nose, stringent hygiene practices in the shop and to maintain social physical distancing norms.
Further, the state government has appealed to the citizens not to consume raw, half-cooked poultry meat or eggs. They have been also requested not to spread misconceptions and rumours based on unscientific information about bird flu.
