Friday, July 22 2005 18:48 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Coimbatore: To prove a point to the Kerala Government, which has banned cattle from Tamil Nadu following an anthrax scare, the cattle merchants of Pollachi have organised a mass biriyani feast with beef as the main dish.

Pollachi, which is a major cattle shandy with a turnover of crores of rupees, has been hit hard by the ban imposed by Kerala Government due to prevalence of anthrax in cows in Theni and neighbouring five districts.

To draw the attention of both the Kerala and Tamil Nadu Governments, the cattle merchants last evening took out a procession with placards and banners hung on cattle, saying, "We have no anthrax" in Pollachi town.

After the procession, beef biriyani was served to nearly 800 persons in public, to prove their point that cattle from Tamil Nadu did not suffer from anthrax.