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Chicken Back in Business Despite Confusion Over Bird Flu

Guwahati, Jan 13 : Chicken shops in Assam on Saturday returned back to business as the State Government lifted the ban on sale of poultry products just three days before the biggest festival of Assam, the Bihu.

The Assam Government issued an official notification on Friday night following which poultry shops were seeing brisk sale since Saturday morning after remaining out of business for the past two months.

Commissioner of the Animal Husbandry department Shyam Mewra issued the order signalling the end of the trauma for the poultry farmers.

However, Kamrup (Metro) ADC C K Bhuyan informed this afternoon that they had not received any order so far, but only the wireless message of the State Government.

Meanwhile, the order withdrawing the sale ban could be seen pasted on every chicken shop of Guwahati.

The poultry farmers were facing a hard time after losing out on the high demand season as the sale was banned from November 17 after outbreak of bird flu near Guwahati city.

According to the poultry farmers association, a staggering Rs 18 crore had been lost since sale of chicken has been banned since November 17.

Notably, according to a statement issued by the state veterinary department, over five lakh birds have been culled and a total compensation of Rs 1.67 crore has been paid.

However, what worried the buyers today in Guwahati city was that all the chicken available in the market was full grown and mature, casting a shadow over the genuineness of the culling operation in and around Guwahati where bird flu was detected.

Moreover, the Government's order on Friday night did not specify the reason behind the withdrawal of the order, nor has it declared Assam bird flu-free.

However there were no reports of any fresh incidence of bird flu from any part of the state in the past one week.

No unusual mortality was reported from any part of the state since December 24, state Veterinary Minister Khor Sing Engti informed the Assembly in a written reply on Wednesday.

Of the total birds killed, 3.32 lakh were from 250 commercial farms and rest from backyard poultry farms, Mr Engti said.

To combat spread of bird flu infection the Government had taken steps as per action plan of the Centre and it included culling of poultry and ducks within the three km radius of epicentre where bird flu was detected, he said. (UNI)