LUCKNOW A severe fly menace in Hardoi’s Atrauli area has sparked weeks of protests and two FIRs against villagers, with residents of around 15 villages alleging that waste from a poultry farm has made their lives miserable and created a potential public health risk.
Political Context
Residents allege that poultry waste is fuelling the infestation, with flies entering homes and settling on food and utensils. “We have to take meals inside mosquito nets. Villagers claim the problem has persisted for nearly a year, affecting cooking, children’s studies and everyday life. They fear the infestation could increase the risk of infectious diseases. The UP Pollution Control Board and veterinary department issued notices to the management to improve its infrastructure. Congress Legislature Party leader Aradhana Mishra also wrote to environment minister Arun Saxena seeking action, citing the alleged risk of infectious diseases and an epidemic.
The controversy centres around a 2.5-acre poultry farm located around 800 metres from Hayatganj-Hannkheda village in Atrauli police station limits, about 65 km from Hardoi district headquarters. Forget sitting outside our homes, we can’t even take a walk,” said a local, Kuldeep Pandey, 27. Meanwhile, the administration ordered a sanitation and cleanliness drive in the affected area until August 15. Vikas Rawat, founder and national president of the Rashtriya Vikas Manch, claimed that around 25 villages have been affected and sought a permanent solution and withdrawal of cases registered during the protests.
The farm has been operating there for around two years, according to district magistrate Anunaya Jha. The administration, however, says no direct link between the poultry farm and the fly menace has been established so far. Jha said an inspection team subsequently visited the farm. The farm owner sought a month’s time to carry out the upgrades, he said. Jha said the fly problem generally worsens during the monsoon. He also said there was no protest underway in the area as of Wednesday.
The issue came to the administration’s attention after villagers met Jha and the Hardoi SP Ashok Kumar Meena on Monday and alleged that poultry farm waste was responsible for the infestation.
