The sources said that the Orissa government has finally decided to start culling of chicken in the wake of a directive from the Central government even as the poultry farmers threatened to take the matter up to the high court. Chief Secretary Ajit Tripathy said after holding discussions with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik,”As per recommendation & direction of the Centre, we will take up culling of all poultry birds in the five-kilometre corridor along the Orissa-West Bengal border”.
The sources said that at least 8,84,000 chickens in Balasore & Mayurbhanj districts, would be culled. Ajit Tripathy told sources that the poultry farmers would be compensated according to the prevalent rate fixed by the Central government.