Members of the rapid response team participated in the cremation of the dead birds in Alappuzha. (file) | Photo Credit: SURESH ALLEPPEY
Months after bird flu (H5N1) hit Central Travancore in Kerala, poultry farmers are still waiting for compensation from the Kerala government.
According to the data provided by the Animal Husbandry department (AHD), more than 2.56 lakh birds, including ducks, chicken and quail, were dead/killed during the 2024 outbreak in the three districts of Alappuzha, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta. Although the AHD has identified 1,192 farmers eligible for compensation – 909 in Alappuzha, 216 in Kottayam and 67 in Pathanamthitta – the payment has been delayed due to “lack of funds.”
The delay in providing aid has left poultry farmers in the region in a quandary. Following the previous bird flu outbreak, the government compensated farmers with R200 for each bird over 60 days old, R100 for birds under 60 days old and R5 for every egg destroyed.
B. Rajasekharan, president, Aikya Tharavu Karshaka Sangham, expressed frustration over the delay. “The government does not accept the hardships of duck and other poultry breeders. “The government’s apathetic attitude is forcing many duck farmers to look for other means of livelihood,” said Mr. Rajasekharan.
Payment soon: officially
Meanwhile, an official working in the office of the Minister of Animal Husbandry J. Chinchurani said they expect to issue compensation soon. “The delay in paying the farmers who lost to bird flu is due to lack of funds. An amount of ₹1.53 crore provided by the Union government has already been received and the State Finance Ministry has recently approved an equal share for the State. This brings the total amount to Rs 3.06 crore, which will be released soon,” said the official.
The latest outbreak of bird flu was confirmed on April 16, 2024, in ducks in Ward 1 of Edathua gramma panchayat in Alapuzha. The disease was later confirmed in 38 facilities, including broilers and quails, in three states.
Apart from ducks, chicken and quail, 19 samples of free-flying, domestic and wild birds tested positive for the disease. However, no new cases of bird flu have been reported in the region since 12 July.
In September, the State government imposed restrictions on hatchery operations and banned transportation of chickens (to and fro) for rearing in the entire Alappuzha district and parts of Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Ernakulam districts. Recently, the government has lifted the restrictions.
Published – January 02, 2025 04:17 pm IST