Fifty-five bird death complaints received by BMC in one day

Amid bird flu scare, as many as55 complaints of bird deaths in the city were reported onTuesday, a senior official of the Brihanmumbai MunicipalCorporation (BMC) said.

After samples of two dead crows tested positive foravian influenza, the BMC has issued guidelines on reportingbird deaths and safe disposal of carcasses.

The disaster control helpline `1916' of the BMCreceived 55 complaints between 7 am to 3 pm, the official toldPTI.

Most of the complaints were about crow deaths whilea few were about pigeon carcasses, he said.

The complaints were forwarded to concerned officialsfor further action, he said.

As per the guidelines issued on Monday, the BMC hasdirected the disaster control department to immediately reportbird deaths to assistant engineers of the solid wastemanagement department.

''Workers and helpers from the regional office andunder assistant engineer will dispose of dead birds,'' it saidin a release.

Dead birds are to be disposed of by burying in a pitafter layering them with limestone so that scavenger animalsdo not dig them up, guidelines said.