Bird flu under control: Pawar

The bird flu situation in the country is under control and localised and the media should thus exercise restraint in its reportage, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar has said.

"The media has blown a localised event out of proportion without realising that such exaggeration of facts will impact the rural economy," Pawar said.

"I must reiterate that there is nothing to worry and the situation is completely under control." Culling operations were on at the affected villages of Jalgaon district in Maharashtra, he said.

A total of 17,150 birds were culled in four talukas of Jalgaon till Wednesday. The government had ordered culling of about 75,000 birds in the affected region.

The state governments of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh have already stepped up surveillance against bird flu.