Eggs have been taken off the mid-day meal menu in thousands of schools in the state following a fresh outbreak of avian influenza in Malda district.

School Education Minister Partha De said that as a preventive measure, eggs were not being provided in the mid-day meal scheme, which covers 65,000 primary schools in the state.

“We have set up a committee to study the impact of bird flu in various parts of the state. Their report is expected to be submitted on Monday. Till we study the report, we have directed government primary schools not to include eggs in the meal,” De said.

The state government, meanwhile, was yet to finish culling operations in Malda, where 25,000 birds were to be culled within the three-km radius of the outbreak’s epicentre in the English Bazar police station area. According to Animal Resources Development Minister Anisur Rehman, nearly 22,500 poultry birds have been culled till Saturday night.

“Culling operations are being conducted in Narhatta and Satgheria villages in Malda. A major part of the operation has been completed on Saturday night. Whatever little is left, veterinary workers will complete by Sunday night,” he added.

“We have started mopping operations to cull birds that may have been missed during the culling operation. We expect the mopping exercise to be completed by Monday,” the minister said.