Bhairahawa, April 2:

Media persons, entrepreneurs, consumers and medical personnel of Bhairahawa and Butwal consumed 11 different Nepali chicken dishes in a ceremony organised by the poultry farmers of Rupandehi here today. The drive was meant to drive home the message that Nepali chickens are not bird flu carriers.

While the invitees were served with varieties of chicken dishes — fry, chicken roast, meatballs, chillicurry, omelette, chicken lollypops — poultry farmers said Nepal is free from bird flu and urged people to consume chicken.

Poultry farmer Keshav Bikraj Khadka asked media persons to be cautious while reporting on bird flu. He said newspapers misreported that chickens died of bird flu when the fact was that they did so because of other diseases.

Poultry farmers are facing a problem due to the rumours of bird flu, he added. He said the poultry sector of Nepal had fallen victim to mistaken media propaganda. Head of the Animal Quarantine Office, Dr Bijay Kant Jha said Nepali chickens are free from bird flu and there was no risk in consuming chickens.