Avian Influenza
Bhopal shrugs off flu scare
By IANS
Mar 19, 2006, 20:17

The bird flu scare may have kept people away from chicken in many places, but not the residents of Bhopal, India who continue to relish on their favourite chicken dishes following slash in the poultry prices.

With the chicken prices going down, the people, especially in the old quarters of the city, are feasting on chicken.

"No doubt, the sale of chickens has gone down drastically in the upmarket areas of the city, but in other areas, it has increased manifold," said poultry merchant Hilal Jafri.

Till date, no case of avian influenza or bird flu has come to light in Madhya Pradesh. But as cases of bird flu were detected in Maharashtra in February, the city also shot to limelight, as it houses the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL), the only laboratory in Asia that can detect bird flu.

But the Bhopal residents seem to have no issues with bird flu, as it has brought down chicken prices.

"The government is saying that chicken, if cooked properly, can be eaten. So why should not I eat chicken when it is cheaper than vegetables," said Ikran Ali, who has been eating chicken nearly every day.

Ali, who resides in the Budhwara locality of the old quarters, said: "A kilogram of bhindi (okra) costs Rs.40, whereas a kilogramme of chicken costs only Rs.20."

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