Maharashtra reported death of 261 poultry birds on March 11 which included 249 in Amravati and 12 in Nandurbar district.
Maharashtra reported death of 261 birds on Thursday, of these 249 were from Amravati and 12 from Nandurbar district. The mortality in other birds like herons, sparrows, parrots and crows was not reported.
As per the standard procedure, samples are being sent to Bhopal’s National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases and Pune’s Animal Disease Investigation Section for testing to contain the bird flu spread.
So far 10,65,890 poultry birds (including 8,98,273 birds from Navapur, District Nandurbar); 60,75,791 eggs and 83,694 kg poultry feed have been destroyed from infected zones. The state emphasises that all poultry birds, eggs, poultry feed and droppings within a radius of 1 km from the poultry farm are scientifically destroyed.
As per the latest data, the Maharashtra government has released an amount of Rs.338.13 lakh for compensating the poultry farmers where the culling of poultry birds, disposal of eggs and poultry feed have been carried out in the infected zone.
“In order to contain the incidences of bird flu without delay, the exercise of the powers conferred under Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals Act, 2009 for the prevention, control and eradication of Avian Influenza, Government of Maharashtra has conferred all its powers on all the District Collectors within their local Jurisdiction in the state of Maharashtra vide notification dated 12/01/2021. The process of declaration of “Alert Zone” in an area of mortality in Poultry birds, suspected to be died of Bird Flu and ensuring necessary precautions and preventive measures are undertaken under these conferred powers, by local administration.” said the state release.
As of now, there is no directive from the government to stop consumption of chicken and eggs. However, poultry farmers have been urged to follow strict bio-security measures. The chicken shop proprietors have been strictly directed to use gloves, mask covering mouth and nose, stringent hygiene practices in the shop and to maintain physical distancing norms.
The government also asked people not to believe in rumours or spread them.
