Test shows no bird flu, 5000 birds died of starvation

Chandigarh, Apr 29 (UNI) A diagnostic test has indicated that there was no bird flu or contagious disease behind the death of 5000 chickens in Panchkula district of Haryana.

Panic gripped the district after the news spread about the death of over 5,000 birds in a poultry farm in Kami village of the Barwala area yesterday.

Panchkula Deputy Commissioner Brijendra Singh said the diagnostic examination of samples in the Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratoty in Jalandhar had indicated that the birds did not suffer from bird flu or any other contagious disease. They rather died of starvation and dehydration.

''We have been informed about the results of the lab test over phone even as a formal report is still awaited,'' the DC told UNI.

The Jalandhar laboratory had now sent the blood samples of the poultry birds to the Central Laboratory in Bhopal for further examination, he added.

Meanwhile, the district administration had despatched medical teams to all the 120 poultry farms for on-the-spot inspection.

The team would comprise the officials of the Animal Husbandry department and the District Administration.

The DC said a criminal case would be registered against the poultry farm owner for his negligence which caused the death of 5000 birds.

UNI MA CH KN1605