Chicken mela organised to dispel Covid-19 rumours

With sales of eggs and chicken badly affected by rumours that consuming them would cause Covid19 infection, the Telangana Poultry Breeders Association and Telangana Poultry Federation along with National Egg Coordination Committee, organised a chicken and egg mela to dispel those fears at People's Plaza, Hyderabad on Friday.

The event that saw an estimated 20,000 people eat egg and chicken preparations was inaugurated by minister K.T. Rama Rao. “Coronavirus and chicken are not connected. My family and I, and even Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao are eating chicken and eggs every day,” he said at the event.

Together with others, Mr Rama Rao had some chicken preparations on stage. Stating that it was 'false propaganda', health minister Etala Rajendra said the poultry sector had suffered a loss of `500 crore.

Mr Rama Rao announced during the event that the government will take steps towards giving a boost to the poultry industry and that new policies for the sector will be introduced.

At least 6,000 kilograms of chicken and 22,000 eggs were distributed at the event. The event also saw animal husbandry Talasani Srinivas Yadav and MP Ranjith Reddy in attendance.

Globally, more than

83,000 people have fallen ill with the Covid-19. The epicentre China, though hardest hit, has seen lower numbers of new infections, with 327 additional cases reported Friday, bringing the country’s total toll to

78,824. Another 44 people died there for a total of

2,788.