Minister: 4 held for spreading rumours of poultry-virus link

“Corona virus does not spread through chickens and eggs and people need not panic. The state is taking serious note to prevent rumours and so far, four persons were arrested for spreading rumours on the spread of corona virus,” the Minister said in the assembly.

Rumours are doing the rounds on social media that corona is spreading through chickens and eggs and due to the rumours, the prices of eggs and chicken have fallen drastically. DMK MLA and former Minister EV Velu, said that the price of eggs has dropped to Rs 2.9 per unit and the poultry industry is in panic that they had to shut down thepoultry farms.

Velu also said that due to the lowering of prices, poultry farm owners could not get feed for their chicken and during the difficult times the state should take steps to provide feed at a subsidised cost. Velu further urged the state government to contain the spread of corona virus.

The Minister clarified that when eggs and chicken are properly cooked there is no need to worry about any diseases and in hotels if workers work with clean and sanitized hands there will be no threat of any disease.

Restore chickenscheme: DMK

DMK MLA T Udhayasuriyan (Sankarapuram constituency in Villupuram constituency) said that when the state government launched the scheme of distributing country chicken to rural women, 50 chicken were given initially but now the number of chickens has been reduced to 25. The government should increase the number of chickens to 100 at a time when people are facing economicdifficulty, urged Udhayasuriyan.

Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami replied that the scheme has been extended to panchayat unions and the number of beneficiaries have been increased. To accommodate more beneficiaries the number of chickens had been reduced to 25, said the Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister also said that within a short period the number of chickens will double and added that he is also raising chickens at his residence in Chennai.