Uri (Baramulla)): For the second time in less than a month now, several crows were sighted dead in at least three villages in Uri, leaving the locals speculative about possible bird flu outbreak in this frontier town of north-Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
According to locals, dead crows were sighted dead in villages of Garkote, Nambla and Gohallan, triggering a panic among the local populace.
The sighting of dead feathered creatures under mysterious circumstances has prompted local residents to make a feverish appeal to Animal Husbandry, asking them to depute an expert team to the area to lift samples as to ascertain actual death cause of the birds.
When contacted, Dr. Tahir Gani Banday, Animal Husbandry Uri asked the residents not to panic and assured them that they were “looking into the matter.”
“A team will be sent to examine the things closely,” he said adding that “We are even expecting results for the earlier sent tests anytime soon.”
Directing the poultry farm owners to do away with the pending stock, the official further said that the farm stockists are directed not to procure fresh stock without express permissions from the local Animal Husbandry Department.
The poultry farm owners have also been advised to inform local authorities if any ‘unusual mortality of poultry’ takes place anywhere in the frontier town.
The department concerned in the meantime has appealled locals to bury the dead birds properly, instead of throwing them in open air, public places or sewage drains”, the official said.
Pertinent to mention here that, this is second time in less than a month that crows have been sighted dead in this frontier sector as in a similar incident dozens of birds were found dead in Chollan, Danni Seydan and Paranpillan villages on January 11. (GNS)
