Delhi bans import of processed, packaged chicken from other states

New Delhi: The Delhi government on Monday imposed a ban on the sale of processed and packaged chicken brought from outside the city, as samples of ducks from Sanjay Lake tested positive for bird flu.

Only samples of ducks from Sanjay Lake have tested positive for bird flu so far, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Monday, asking people not to panic as there is no cause for concern.

A total of eight samples from three areas in Delhi, sent to a Bhopal-based laboratory, tested positive for avian influenza. In a press briefing, Sisodia said results of 100 samples that have been sent to a Jalandhar lab are awaited.

Sisodia said the Sanjay Lake area was sanitised after the samples of ducks from there tested positive for bird flu.

The Delhi government has also decided to ban the sale of processed and packaged chicken brought from outside the city as a precautionary measure, he said. "But there is no need to panic about bird flu. It is a common influenza," he added.

"Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is closely monitoring the avian flu situation and is getting updates from the officials concerned. There is no reason to worry about bird flu in Delhi," Sisodia said.

"Processed chicken and livestock from other states have been banned as a precautionary measure. Ghazipur poultry market has also been closed down for 10 days due to bird flu," he said.

Commenting on the issue, Minister of Animal Husbandry Giriraj Singh said: "If Delhi would've followed Centre's advisory, first issued in October, 2019, there wouldn't have been a need to shut the market. Panic has spread within 500 km. I've written to the Chief Minister."

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asked states to be vigilant and keep a check on local water bodies and zoos to fight this bird flu outbreak.