Hyderabad: Amidst fear of bird flu cases, dead chickens were found dumped in the Akkampally reservoir of Telangana in Nalgonda district on Friday, February 14. Unidentified individuals reportedly dumped the chickens in the reservoir and fled from the spot.
Soon after, officials of the revenue and irrigation department inspected the reservoir. On orders of the district collector Ila Tripathi, superintendent of police (SP) Sharath Chandra Pawar is investigating the case.
The Akkampally reservoir provides drinking water to many parts of Hyderabad.
The incident comes amid the rising fear of bird flu in Hyderabad after cases of a highly pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) were reported in the neighbouring state of Andhra Pradesh.
On February 11, the Telangana government issued a notice to all district collectors to create awareness among poultry farmers and the public about HPAI prevention.
The animal husbandry department has been closely monitoring the movement of all poultry vehicles entering Telangana. So far, no cases of bird flu have been detected in the state.
On February 12 the Telangana police set up a check post in Suryapet district to examine vehicles carrying chickens entering the state in view of bird flu cases detected in Andhra Pradesh.
Check post set up in Suryapet to curb bird flu in Telangana
Two to three veterinary officials are on duty at the border daily to prevent boiler chickens from moving from Andhra to Telangana.
Officials turned back poultry vehicles coming from Andhra Pradesh to Telangana at Pullur Toll Plaza in Jogulamba Gadwal District.
Andhra Pradesh’s animal husbandry minister K Athcannaidu has warned against unnecessary rumours and said that all affected poultries in the state were brought into a red zone and chicken shops within a radius of 10 km were shut. The animal husbandry department director Damodar Naidu said rapid response teams (RRTs) are taking immediate measures to control the disease.
Hyderabad’s Zoo park halts chicken, egg supply in view of bird flu
The Zoo Park in Hyderabad has halted the supply of chicken and eggs for carnivores as a precautionary measure amid reports of chicken deaths in neighbouring states due to suspected avian influenza.
Earlier, the Nehru Zoological Park fed 35 kg of chicken and 140 eggs daily to carnivores including tigers, lions, panthers, and jaguars. Now, the meat-eating animals are being given mutton, beef, and pork instead, officials said to PTI.
Amid bird flu scare, Zoo park in Hyderabad halts chicken, egg supply
Following the rise in chicken deaths in neighbouring states due to suspected avian influenza, Telangana has intensified checking at inter-state border check posts to prevent transportation of sick birds into the state and strengthened bio-security measures, a senior official of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry said two days ago.
