The poultry markets in Ghazipur as well as in other parts of Delhi, which were shut down as a precautionary measure amid bird flu scare, can reopen now, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said.
The January 9 order was reversed soon after Delhi Animal Husbandry Unit confirmed that the poultry samples sent from the city have tested negative for bird flu.
“It means there is no spread of avian influenza in poultry birds in Delhi,” Rakesh Singh, senior Animal Husbandry Unit officer, said on Thursday.
“Samples taken from poultry markets (in Delhi) have tested negative for bird flu. I have directed to open the poultry market and withdraw the orders to restrict trade and import of chicken stocks,” Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal tweeted.
Samples taken from poultry markets have tested negative with respect to Bird Flu.
Have directed to open the poultry market & withdraw the orders to restrict trade & import of chicken stocks.
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) January 14, 2021
Although the order has come as a relief for poultry farmers and meat-eaters in Delhi, it is not clear whether the order applies to restaurants and hotels too.
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On Wednesday, all the civic bodies of Delhi had imposed a ban on the sale, processing, and packaging of poultry or poultry meat “till the next order.”
Moreover, restaurants and hotels were asked to not serve egg-based dishes or poultry meat, failing which their licence would be suspended.
The orders came soon after the Health Department on Wednesday asked people to not panic and follow a set of dos and don’ts.
“Eat only completely cooked eggs and poultry products cooked at 70 degree Celsius for 30 minutes. Do not consume half-cooked chicken or bird or half-boiled and half-fried eggs,” the health department’s notification said.
As of now, several crows and ducks have been found dead in the national capital in the past few days amid the bird flu scare.