The residents of three villages  under Kalama panchayat under  Raibania police limits bordering Mayurbhanj district staged a dharna in front of a poultry farm demanding its shifting  from the human habitations.

They alleged that the poultry farms are causing serious hygiene  and sanitation problems for which they were suffering from several health related  issues, besides stinking smells.

They also alleged that the droppings of birds are dumped around the villages besides  dead chicken thrown hither and thither causing an unhygienic environment, polluting land, air and water.

While a group  over 100 villagers protested  demanding the shifting of farms, on the other hand  some of the villagers too came in support of  the farms.

According to sources, Bhabani Shankar Jena, a resident  of  Astigadia village has set up a poultry farm since 2002. And in phase manner, he  made 10 more  farms  and is rearing around 50,000 birds .  Due to these farms, the villagers of  Bhaliapada, Ashabandh and Gokundi have complaining of several problems and hence, have been protesting since 2008.

Since then, they have been demanding shifting of the poultry farms from the human habitations. In February last year, there was an agreement between the villagers and the owner of the farms , Jena, where in the latter had agreed to shift the farms from the village within three months.

Yet, later, he didnot follow the agreement.

However, in the July, this year following flu, about 4,000 birds died. The villagers alleged that the carcasses were thrown haphazardly in the villages instead of disposing them of properly. After receiving complaints from the villagers, the  sarpanchs of Baradiha and Kalma had issued a notice to the farm owner urging him to shift the farms elsewhere.

The farms  were while  closed since then, on Sunday  about 8,000 chicks were brought to these farms. The development irked the villagers and they resorted to agitation after bringing the issue to the notice of local BDO (Jaleswar), livestock officials and others.

Amid the protest, the families  which are depending on these farms have come in support of Jena. However, the agitators including the ward members, said they wouldn’t budge unless  the farms are shifted from their villages.