Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, August 18, 2025 – The fear of bird flu has gripped Rampur, and the district administration is leaving no stone unturned to keep it in check. After the H5N1 virus was confirmed at poultry farms in Sehor village of Bilaspur tehsil, where over 15,000 chickens perished, the District Magistrate (DM) has rolled out tough measures to curb the spread. For the next 21 days, all poultry farms, chicken shops, and egg vendors in Rampur have been ordered to shut down completely. This means no chicken or eggs can be sold or consumed in the district until early September.
The DM’s orders don’t stop there. A 1-kilometer radius around the affected farms has been declared an “infected zone,” with a 10-kilometer surveillance area under strict watch. No poultry products can move in or out, and the ban extends to bird feed, too. To make sure these rules are followed, the veterinary department is cracking down on illegal poultry farms across the district. Teams are out inspecting, sniffing out any unregistered operations that could be hiding the virus. “We’re acting fast to protect both people and animals,” a district official said, urging locals to report any suspicious bird deaths.
The mood in Rampur is tense. Markets that usually buzz with chicken and egg stalls are eerily quiet. Families are switching to vegetables or other proteins, and some restaurants have pulled non-veg items off their menus. The administration is also spreading awareness, with health workers advising people to avoid touching sick birds and to cook any meat thoroughly. So far, no human cases have been reported, but the fear is keeping everyone on edge.
For farmers, it’s a rough time. Many have lost their entire stock, and the 21-day ban is hitting their wallets hard. The government says it’s necessary to stop the virus from spreading further, especially after nearby Uttarakhand reported similar cases. As Rampur braces for the next few weeks, the hope is that these strict steps will stamp out the threat and bring life back to normal.
