Bird flu scare in Jharkhand's Bokaro, 700 chickens go missing

BOKARO: Posing a major health risk, 700 chickens and ducks that were identified by the animal husbandry department for culling in the wake of bird flu infection, have gone missing. The team has culled 850 birds in the affected zone, area within 1km radius of confirmed cases, till Monday.
A large number of potentially infected birds were either sold, consumed or relocated to prevent them from being culled, sources said.
More than 953 chickens have been culled since the confirmation of bird flu outbreak in the government poultry farm located at Lohanchal of Sector 12.
“Around 3,800 chickens and ducks were identified for culling in the affected areas of 1km radius of the government farm. Since Saturday, our team has started the culling operation. We have visited Bagrabeda, Hanuman Nagar, Ukrid, and Satanpur area but found only about 850 chickens. The residents have removed or consumed them, fearing culling,” said Manoj Kumar Mani, the district animal husbandry officer.
“People are not understanding the sensitivity of the situation. Culling is a must to curb the spread of the virus,” he said. The team will proceed to a few areas, including Ritudih, Birsa Basa, and Sonataad, on Monday night again, he revealed.
Meanwhile, the lab report in connection with the death of around 78 chickens in a private poultry farm at Gaychanda under Kasmar block is awaited. Samples of two dozen poultry farms under Chas and other blocks are also yet to arrive.
Though there is a bird flu scare as Bokaro becomes the epicentre in Jharkhand, roadside vendors, restaurants, hotels, mess are serving chicken items as these are still in demand. A restaurant owner said though sale of chicken items have dropped, its sale has not stopped.