700 dead birds dumped in the open at Lalru

Lalru, May 22

Dogs fed on carcasses of poultry birds dumped in the open after around 700 birds died due to lightning and storm in a farm at Dharamgarh village near Joula Kalan two days ago.

Residents called the police and complained to officials of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) about foul smell emanating from the area after the owner of Harman Poultry Farm, a short distance from the village, dumped the dead birds in the open for two days.

“Stray dogs dragged the dead chickens to the fields and populated areas,” they alleged. Poultry farm manager Pradeep said around 700 broilers and chickens died due to lightning and thunderstorm. There were around 18,000 chickens on the farm. They called up an earthmover to bury these, but the vehicle broke down and left in between.

As it was late in the evening, the workers left them unattended, which led to the situation. All dead birds had been buried now, he said.

PPCB XEN Surinder Singh Matharu said dead chickens should be buried by digging a deep pit or incinerated in a furnance. Appropriate action would be taken against the management of the poultry farm, he said.