Veterinary experts to reach Morena to probe into peacocks' deaths

Veterinary experts to reach Morena to probe into peacocks' deaths
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

MORENA, JULY 9: A high-level team of agricultural scientists and veterinary experts from Bhopal have been summoned to deal with the situation arising out of the death of more than 80 peacocks in Maharajpur and Sitapur villages in the last few days.

Stating this, the district collector Pramod Agarwal said today that urgent steps would be initiated to save the remaining peacocks on the basis of the report submitted by the team, expected to reach Morena by this evening. At present, a sick peacock was undergoing treatment, he added.

Meanwhile, it has come to light that the first information about the peacocks' deaths was given by the patwari of Maharajpur village on June 24, who, in turn, reported it to the tehsildar. The tehsildar had referred the matter to the concerned police station but nothing was done in the matter.

The deputy director of the veterinary department Dr S P Singh maintains that the deaths were caused by chemically-treated bajra.

Dr A K Sharma, a veterinary expert, said the post-mortem report indicated that some peacocks had died due to four types of chemicals sprayed on bajra to prevent it from being affected by fungus.

The district collector, Pramod Agarwal said after visiting Sitapur, where 29 peacocks had died yesterday, that prima facie the deaths appear to be the result of consuming chemically-treated bajra.

Meanwhile, People for Animals, a voluntary organisation that works for the welfare of birds and animals, has demanded a high-level inquiry into the deaths.