A record 1,552 poultry birds comprising 387 in Palghar, 66 in Jalgaon, 15 in Osmanabad, 300 in Beed, 87 in Amravati and 697 in Nandurbar districts were found dead due to bird flu in Maharashtra. Incidentally, no mortality was reported in herons, sparrows, parrots and crows. 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, 7,12,207 poultry birds including 5,78,360 birds in Navapur in Nandurbar district, 26.03,749 eggs and 73,004 poultry feed have been scientifically destroyed within a radius of 1 km from the poultry farms 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 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.
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.
