Fresh pre-poll survey in Karnataka: Cong 118-128; BJP 63-73; JDS 29-36

Bengaluru, Mar 30: The coronavirus scare has taken a toll on the poultry industry in Karnataka with many poultry farm owners culling the birds, insiders in the poultry industry said.

At least one lakh birds have been culled in the last one week, the sources said.

Ever since the news spread about novel coronavirus spreading rapidly, the poultry industry started feeling the heat.

The lockdown spelt further trouble for the industry with reduced business compelling farm owners to go in for the culling.

According to Muddukrishna of C N Nischchith Enterprises, a live chicken dealer in Bengaluru, the culling had taken place in Shivamogga, Kolar and other places.

"There is a drastic decline in business. There are neither customers nor enough supply of birds for sale. We are badly hit. There are many poultry farm owners who have incurred tremendous loss due to the lockdown," Muddukrishna told news agency.

Another major poultry industry owner, having his farms in Channapatna, Ramanagar, Anekal and surrounding places, said he had to get rid of at least 4,000 birds in each of these farms.

"This is not restricted to me alone. There are about 64 major poultry industries who have gone for the drastic measure of culling," said the farm owner.

He said in the last one week, at least one lakh birds have been culled as it was hard for them to maintain them.

"Each bird needs at least a kilogram of grains in three days to eat whereas each kg of poultry food costs about Rs 32. We have about two lakh birds in our farm. How can we maintain if there is no business," rued the poultry farm owner.

The industry has suffered a double whammy.

People gave up eating chicken following rumours that the novel coronavirus COVID-19 is similar to SARS, another virus.

Further, the lockdown has blocked the transportation of these birds, he added.

According to the farm owner, in the last one month, he had suffered a loss of around Rs 15 lakh and if the situation continues for the next three months, his condition would be beyond imagination.

Muddukrishna said the poultry farm association had given a memorandum to the animal husbandry and fisheries department seeking direction on the transportation of these birds.

Accordingly, the secretary in the department of Animal Husbandry and Fisheries A B Ibrahim issued a circular to all the city police commissioners, deputy commissioners of the district, superintendent of police and the CEO of Zilla Panchayath on Friday that the animal husbandry services have been declared as essential services.

Ibrahim said in his circular that the production of chicken birds, sheep, goat, pigs, etc in the farm and their transportation, manufacturing feed, liquid nitrogen meant for veterinary use and other items related to the Animal Husbandry should be permitted.

"Despite the order, our vehicles are stopped and drivers are harassed," alleged Muddukrishna.

Bengaluru, May 26: After Yogi Adityanath said that no state can take manpower from Uttar Pradesh without his government's permission, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar on Tuesday termed the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister's move as "unconstitutional" and "against the right to freedom of movement."

"Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's move to restrict hiring people of Uttar Pradesh is unconstitutional and goes against the right to freedom of movement. Mr Yogi, please note that UP is not the private property of your govt. The people of Uttar Pradesh don't need your government's permission to work anywhere in India," Shivakumar tweeted.

"Mr Yogi doesn't understand the basic rules of governance in a democracy. Such actions lack common sense and will only make the people of Uttar Pradesh suffer more. When it's convenient for BJP, it's One Nation, when it's not, it's different states and different people. Heights of hypocrisy," he added.

Adityanath had on Monday said that the state government will provide social security and insurance to labourers and no state can take manpower from Uttar Pradesh without his government's permission.

"If any state wants manpower, they cannot take our people from the state without our permission as there were reports of misbehaviour with them in other states. We are taking full responsibility for labourers' social security. We will provide every kind of security to them including insurance. Wherever they will go, we will always stand by them," Yogi said.

The Chief Minister said that skill mapping is being done in Uttar Pradesh and a commission will be set up for labourers to ensure employment for them.

On Sunday, Adityanath had ordered the formation of a 'Migration Commission' for the purpose of providing the workers, who have returned to the state during the lockdown phase, with employment suited to their skills.