Culling extended two more days in Malda

MALDA, March 23: The Malda district administration has said the culling operation, which was delayed by Holi festivities would continue on Monday. The district magistrate Mr CR Das earlier had extended it by one day and assured that the operation would have been completed by Sunday . Today the decision to extend the time frame of the operation was taken at an all-party meeting in Malda. The Malda SDO Mrs Arunima Dey said today that since the culling operation had been stalled due to the Holi festival the district administration has decided to extend it by two more days. The district magistrate Mr CR Das said animal resources officials would visit door to door to collect birds for culling on Monday. “Who did not hand over birds in last four day during culling operation would not compensated at the time of mopping up and government officials would take away birds from them forcefully for culling,” Mr CR Das told reporters. After the end of Holi festival, people today responded to the announcement and decided to hand over their birds in English Bazaar town and its adjoining block areas. Officials today claimed that culling progress was better today than the last two days. “People have decided to hand over their birds but unnecessarily they are delaying to hand over chickens at the last moment,” Mr NK Shit, deputy director, Malda ARD, said over telephone from a village Jagadishpur under Maheshpur gram panchayat in English Bazaar block. The administration had culled 13,729 birds on Thursday at state poultry farm. Then it had culled only 400 on Friday and 1822 on Saturday. It may be noted that local traders, ignoring banning order, had sold huge chickens in all markets of English Bazaar town on Friday and Saturday secretly following demand of Holi festival. n sns