High toxicity in 'bajra' led to peacock deaths

BHOPAL, JULY 13. Scanty rainfall this year prevented the toxicity of the pesticide-treated `bajra' from being washed off resulting in the death of 70 peacocks in Morena district of Madhya Pradesh recently.

According to official sources, the postmortem report had stated that the deaths had occurred due to organophosphate poison in `bajra' seeds. The toxic substance is coated on the seeds as a pesticide.

``The region had experienced delayed and scanty rains this year,'' an official spokesman said. Usually, heavy rainfall dilutes or washes away the toxic coating. Scanty rains also prevented the `bajra' seeds from germinating and sprouting.

Postmortem of the birds led to detection of lesions in the alimentary canal. The kidneys were also found to be damaged. One of the first symptoms displayed by the affected birds was a paralytic attack. The birds could have been saved if treated at the initial stages, the spokesman said. ``Such mass scale deaths generally occur during the onset of sowing or harvesting season'', Mr. R.K. Gorakh, deputy director, Disease Investigation Laboratory, said.

- UNI

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