A total of 89 poultry birds including 36 in Jalgaon, 10 in Osmanabad and 43 in Nandurbar districts succumbed to avian influenza in Maharashtra. No morality in other birds like herons, sparrows, parrots and crows has been reported. The samples are being sent for testing to the National Institute of High Security Diseases in Bhopal and Disease Investigation Section, Pune.
According to the department of animal husbandry, 7,12,172 poultry birds including 5,78,360 birds from Navapur in Nandurbar district, 26,03,728 eggs and 72,974 poultry feed have been scientifically destroyed within the 1 km radius from the poultry farms in the infected zones. 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 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 poultry farmers are urged to follow strict biosecurity measures. The chicken shop proprietors are strictly directed to use gloves, a mask covering 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.
