Two containers of frozen and ready-to-eat chicken imported by Devyani International, operator of KFC for Nepal and Mango Tree International were taken control by local poultry farmers in Dharke of Dhading on Friday and Saturday.[break]
Dr Ram Krishna Khatiwada, deputy director general of Department of Livestock Services told the press conference that process to bring the four officials, who were allegedly responsible for permitting the consignment of the poultry products to enter the country, to justice.
Source at the Ministry of Agriculture Development (MoAD) told Republica that four officials to face action are all veterinary doctors posted in Central Quarantine and Birgunj Quarantine offices.
Prabhakar Pathak, spokesperson of the MoAD told Republica that all four officials, who are found to have been involved in allowing the chicken products to enter the country illegally have been summoned to the MoAD on Sunday as a preparation of the action against them.
Source said those officials facing the action are chief and deputy chief of Birgunj Quarantine, chief of Aanptari Internal Quarantine Office and senior official of Central Animal Quarantine.
“We have initiated investigation into the case. We will take appropriate action against those found involved in the case,” said Pathak.
Pathak also said Jaya Mukunda Khanal, secretary at MoAD directed the Deputy Inspector General of Armed Police and Nepal Police, Director General of Customs Department and Director General of Department of Customs to initiate measures to end the existing lapses in customs and quarantine process and make sure that such cases will not occur again.
Two cargo containers were found ferrying the chicken consignments along the Prithvi Highway.
In a bid to minimize the risk of bird-flu, the government imposed a ban on the import of poultry products since 2008 from several countries, including India, where outbreak of the avian influenza was reported.
Cases of bird flu have been reported in Nepal more than two-dozen times since the imposition of the ban.
According to Khatiwada, the consignment included 10,866 kg of frozen and ready-to-eat chicken worth about Rs 4 million.
The seized chicken products, which were found rotten producing foul smell, were dumped in presence of local farmers.
The customs clearance papers for the consignment also confirm that the chicken originated at Venkey´s poultry farm in Pune, India.
A panel led by Uttam Bhattarai, joint secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture Development (MoAD) has been formed to investigate the case and provide detail on the imports of chicken to the country, within five days.
“It is very serious case that international food chain like KFC show no concern about the impact on public health due to the imports of chicken from India where bird-flue cases is regularly occurring,” said Dr Nar Bahadur Rajwar, director general of DoLS.
He also said that the illegal import of chicken has not only risk health hazards but also inflict losses on poultry industry in which Nepal is self sufficient.
Meanwhile, KFC operated business as usual on Sunday.
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