February 5, 2008

India's West Bengal reaches culling target, but search is on for hidden poultry

West Bengal has reached its culling target of 3.2 million poultry on Sunday (February 3, 2008) but it now has to ensure that any poultry hidden by villagers must be taken away for culling.

Some villagers have hidden their poultry so they would not be culled, but West Bengal's Animal Resources Development (ARD) department is now working to find the hidden poultry for culling.

West Bengal ARD minister Anisur Rahman said the culling teams are still working in the districts and if necessary, they will enlist the assistance of local police and district administration.

However, Rahman said the police need not be involved in the culling and cleaning up process as that is the job of the ARD teams, and the police only have to assist in finding the chickens in question.