NEW DELHI | Fearing bird flu in the national capital, the Delhi government on Saturday banned the import of live birds into Delhi. The Delhi government has assured the citizens that all necessary measures are being taken to combat the disease.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal made the announcement through a digital press conference and clarified that not a single bird flu case has been reported in Delhi yet.
The Chief Minister said that as a precaution, the government has decided to implement a complete ban on the import of live birds into the city with immediate effect. Kejriwal also announced the closure of Ghazipur Chicken Mandi (poultry market) for the next 10 days.
He said, “The Delhi government is taking all necessary measures to stop the spread of bird flu in the national capital. There is nothing to worry about. We are monitoring the disease.”
The announcement comes amid reports that 24 crows were found dead in a park in the Jasola area of South Delhi in the last three days. Apart from this, a total of 10 ducks were also found dead in the famous Sanjay Lake in the Mayur Vihar area of East Delhi. Samples of the ducks have been sent to the concerned lab to ascertain if they have died of bird flu.
The Delhi Development Authority, which handles a large number of parks in the city, is monitoring the situation.
In the last few days, at least 35 crows have been found dead in Delhi. Their samples have also been sent for testing.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday directed the authorities to keep a close vigil on the birds at major bird sites, especially poultry markets, water bodies, zoos, and other possible places.
