The Government of West Bengal has joined the 22 other Indian states that have directed local egg producers to cease starvation force moulting of laying hens. The Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services for the Government of West Bengal has requested the directorate's officials to ensure that the state's egg producers comply with the Animal Welfare Board of India's order to immediately discontinue starvation force molting regimes.

In March, the Animal Welfare Board of India confirmed that starvation force moulting is a punishable offence under India's Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960, and ordered all egg production facilities to immediately discontinue the practice.

N.G. Jayasimha, manager of Humane Society International's factory farming campaign in India, said: "We are grateful to the Government of West Bengal and we certainly expect that egg laying farms will comply with this order. Egg producers who continue to starve birds to induce moult must be prosecuted under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act."

HSI urges anyone with information about a farm inducing moulting by starvation to email this confidential drop box: [email protected].