State ARD minister Anisur Rahaman today said the number of unnatural deaths of birds in the state has finally come down to zero. Even the number of culling teams engaged in the process have dwindled. “We will be holding a review meeting on February 12. We might lift the ban after that,” said Rahaman.

The state government will then go back to Margram to hand out the Rs 500 compensation package to poultry owners. The minister also met the egg traders today, who have demanded that the government make arrangements to keep the eggs in cold storage. A large stock of eggs has accumulated over the period and could not be sold owing to the ban.