Storage, sale of egg-based dishes, poultry meat banned in Delhi hotels under NDMC

'All meat and poultry shops and meat processing units in areas under the NDMC, are prohibited to sell, store poultry or processed or packaged chicken meat,' NDMC said

Serving egg-based dishes and poultry meat to customers will land owners of hotels and restaurants located in North Delhi Municipal Corporation in trouble with the civic body on Wednesday issuing an order against the backdrop of bird flu.

The order was issued by the veterinary services department of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation. A ban was imposed on the sale and poultry or processed chicken meat by shops and restaurants with immediate effect.

Read: DH Deciphers | Should we fear the latest outbreak of bird flu?

On Monday, bird flu was confirmed in the national capital after testing of samples of crows and ducks. Delhi government had already banning the import of live birds into the capital besides closing the Ghazipur poultry market.

"All meat and poultry shops and meat processing units in areas under the NDMC, are prohibited to sell, store poultry or processed or packaged chicken meat with immediate effect, till further orders," the order issued by the municipal body said.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said that his government has been taking all necessary steps based on the directions and guidelines issued by the Centre to deal with the outbreak of bird flu. "There is nothing to worry or worry. We are keeping an eye on the situation," he said.

Also Read | Explained: How Bird Flu spreads

All district administrations have been asked to set up rapid response teams to conduct surveillance. Veterinary officers have been asked to inspect water-bodies, bird markets and poultry farms. A 24-hour helpline -- 011-23890318 -- has also been set up.

Delhi government has also banned processed chicken and livestock from other states as a precautionary measure.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had said on Monday that the government has banned selling packaged chicken or processed chicken from outside to Delhi to prevent infection from one state to another.

"But there is no need to panic about bird flu. It is a common influenza. The news of its spread from bird to human has not been reported so far. People who eat chicken and eggs should also not panic. There is no risk of infection from fully cooked chicken or boiled/cooked eggs," he had said.

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation on Wednesday imposed a ban on sale and storage of poultry or processed chicken meat by shops and restaurants with immediate effect, in view of the bird flu situation in the national capital, according to an official order.

The order issued by the veterinary services department of the NDMC also said that owners of restaurants and hotels will face action if egg-based dishes or poultry meat and other products are served to customers.

Read: DH Deciphers | Should we fear the latest outbreak of bird flu?

The order has been issued in public interest and should be diligently complied with, it said.

Testing of samples of crows and ducks had confirmed bird flu cases in the national capital on Monday, prompting the Delhi government to impose a ban on sale of processed and packaged chicken brought from outside the city.

The Ghazipur poultry market has also also closed by authorities.

Also Read | Explained: How Bird Flu spreads

"All meat and poultry shops and meat processing units in areas under the NDMC, are prohibited to sell, store poultry or processed or packaged chicken meat with immediate effect, till further orders," the North Corporation order said.

Several ducks at Sanjay Lake and a large number of crows across various city parks have been found dead in the last one week.

Reports of over 50 bird deaths were received on a helpline of the Delhi government's animal husbandry unit and 18 samples from different parts of the city were sent for avian flu testing on Tuesday, officials had said.