Culling in Maharashtra to end on Monday

About 500 health workers in 82 teams were carrying out the culling operation.

Maharashtra Animal Husbandry Department officials along with district authorities on Sunday completed culling of nearly two lakh chickens in six tehsils of bird-flu hit Jalgaon district.

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The culling operation, which began on March 29 following fresh cases of birdflu, would be completed by Monday, Dr BK Wankhade, Regional District Commissioner, Animal Husbandary, said.

About 500 health workers in 82 teams were carrying out the culling operation, he said.

For the culled birds, a compensation of over Rs one lakh was distributed among the poultry owners of the region as per the government directives, Wankhade said.

For birds below 10 weeks of age, compensation of Rs 10 per bird was given.

While for birds above 10 weeks it was Rs 40 per bird, for broiler it was Rs 30 per bird, Wankhade said.

Health teams have conducted house-to-house survey and checked more than one lakh people for symptoms of birdflu as a precautionary measure, health department sources said.