The North Delhi Municipal Corporation on Wednesday announced that it has banned the sale and storage of poultry or processed chicken meat by shops and restaurants with immediate effect, in view of the bird flu situation in the national capital.

According to an official order issued by the veterinary services department of the NDMC, owners of restaurants and hotels will face action if egg-based dishes or poultry meat and other products are served to customers.

“The order has been issued in public interest and should be diligently complied with,” it said.

On Monday, Delhi confirmed cases of bird flu after testing of samples of crows and ducks, prompting the state government to impose a ban on sale of processed and packaged chicken brought from outside the city.

The authorities have also closed the Ghazipur poultry market in this regard.

“All meat and poultry shops and meat processing units in areas under the NDMC, are prohibited to sell, store poultry or processed or packaged chicken meat with immediate effect, till further orders,” the order by the North Corporation said.

Several ducks at Sanjay Lake and a large number of crows across various city parks have been found dead in the last one week.

Reports of over 50 bird deaths were received on a helpline of the Delhi government’s animal husbandry unit and 18 samples from different parts of the city were sent for avian flu testing on Tuesday, officials had said.