Bird Flu In Odisha: BMC Issues Strict Advisory For Poultry Farms, Chicken Kiosks

Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Saturday issued strict guidelines for poultry farms and chicken kiosk owners not to purchase chicken from areas affected by Avian (Bird) Flu.

The advisory by Municipal Commissioner Rajesh Patil instructed chicken stall owners to destroy the birds if they observe any unusual activity in the latter and properly bleach the area where the activity is done.

People running such shops should go to a doctor immediately if they feel uneasy and show symptoms like coughing, sneezing and fever, the advisory added.

On the other hand, Mayor Sulochana Das has urged people of the city to avoid consuming chicken for a few days.

“As some chicken might have been procured from outside Bhubaneswar, I urge citizens to refrain from eating chicken for a few days. We are monitoring the situation to respond quickly if any symptoms appear,” Das said.

Earlier, Health Services Director Dr Bijay Kumar Mohapatra had requested people residing in and around Bhubaneswar and neighbouring districts to avoid eating chicken for a few days.

After reports of its outbreak in the two blocks of Puri district, with epicentre at Raichakradharpur and Abalpur, culling of birds is on. Health and Family Welfare minister Mukesh Mahaling said so far, over 30,000 birds have been culled as part of the containment measures.