Pawar, Deshmukh appeal people to restart eating chicken

Latur, Maharashtra, Feb 26 (UNI) Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh today appealed to the people to restart eating chicken.

Mr Pawar, after inaugurating a seven-day 'All India Agri Cattle Show and Milk Yield Competition' here, said that birdflu scare was ruining the poultry industry.

''I am saying it with full responsiblity. According to World Health Organisation, the way Indians prepare chicken, there is no fear of virus infection.'' The Minister added that the spread of avian influenza was limited to Navapur, but media created a panic and people altogether stopped eating chicken and eggs. Their consumption was stopped even in Parliament, armed forces, trains and airlines.

He said blood samples of 95 people were sent for examination but not a single sample tested positive.

Mr Pawar said the annual turnover of poultry industry was Rs