A total of 374 birds including 371 poultry birds have been found dead due to avian influenza in Maharashtra. The samples are being sent to National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal and Disease Investigation Section, Pune for testing.
So far, 7,12,172 poultry birds including 5,78,360 birds from Navapur have been scientifically destroyed from the 1 km radius of infected zones. The department of animal husbandry said 26,03,728 eggs and 72,974 poultry feed have also been destroyed from infected zones across the state.
The state government has stepped up the vigil in Navapur which has been a poultry hub with 27 farms. The Nandurbar district administration has deployed more than 100 special teams to carry out culling of nearly 9 lakh poultry birds in phases in Navapur.
The government has paid compensation of Rs 45.40 lakh to the poultry farmers in the infected zones where the culling of poultry birds, disposal of eggs and poultry feed have been carried out for containment of Bird Flu.
The state government has delegated powers to the district collectors under the provisions of Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animal Act, 2009 for the prevention, control and eradication of avian influenza.
The state government has urged the poultry farmers to follow strict biosecurity measures while the chicken shop proprietors have been directed to use gloves, mask, covering mouth and nose, strict hygiene practices in the shop and maintain social physical distancing norms.
