150 parrots found dead near Narmada in Madhya Pradesh, food poisoning suspected

A disturbing scene has unfolded along the banks of the Narmada River in Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone district, where approximately 150 parrots were found dead over the last three days. The carcasses were discovered near an aqueduct bridge close to Barwaha town, triggering an immediate alarm among local residents and environmentalists. While initial fears pointed toward a possible bird flu outbreak, official investigations have moved in a different direction.

Dr. GS Solanki, Deputy Director of the Animal Husbandry Department, inspected the site following directives from the District Collector. He confirmed that preliminary observations rule out contagious diseases like bird flu. Instead, the focus has shifted to food poisoning. Officials observed several parrots perched lifelessly on trees before falling, suggesting a sudden and potent reaction to something ingested by the birds in the vicinity.

Veterinary surgeon Dr. Manisha Chauhan, who performed the postmortem examinations on over 100 birds, noted clear signs of dietary toxicity. The examinations revealed rice grains mixed with small pebbles and stones in the birds' digestive tracts. It is suspected that the parrots may have consumed grains from nearby agricultural fields recently sprayed with heavy pesticides, or were fed unsuitable cooked food by visitors at the bridge.