TV
After a lull of several months, the bird flu scare has returned to Puri district once again. Last time, Pipili and Delang were in its grip, leading to the culling of thousands of chickens. This time, the suspected flu has broken out at Krushnaprasad block.
The farmers raising poultry are a worried lot.
As per reports, thousands of chickens have succumbed to a suspected outbreak of avian influenza in the Krushnaprasad block. This potential health crisis has unfolded over the past five days, with numerous farms reporting drastic losses of their poultry stocks.
The sudden increase in bird fatalities has left poultry farmers in a state of anxiety and financial uncertainty. Many farmers had relied on bank loans to sustain their operations, and the unexpected outbreak and the consequent losses have left them in a quandary.
Also Read: Bird flu scare: Poultry farming banned for 3 months in infected areas in Puri
At places, carcasses of crows were also found, only lending colour to the bird flu scare.
The authorities are yet to confirm the exact cause of the deaths and are conducting investigations to ascertain whether avian influenza is indeed responsible for this alarming situation.
In September 2024, Pipili and Delang blocks in Puri district were the hotspots for the bird flu, forcing the district administration to impose a three-month ban on poultry farming. Besides Pipili and Delang, the ban was also imposed in Nimapara and Satyabadi areas. No poultry farming was allowed in the one-kilometre radius of the infected zones.
After Puri, the infection also spread to Kendrapara. Following the detection of the H5N1 avian influenza strain, the local administration in the affected areas undertook a massive culling operation.
