Lok Sabha Question No. 2661 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-15
Subject: Vulture Population
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT, DHANANJAY BHIMRAO MAHADIK, VIJAYSINH MOHITE PATIL, SUPRIYA SADANAND SULE, T. RADHAKRISHNAN, JAYAKUMAR JAYAVARDHAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2661

TO BE ANSWERED ON  15.12.2015

## Vulture Population

2661.  DR. HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT: SHRI DHANANJAY MAHADIK: SHRI MOHITE PATIL VIJAY SINH SHANKARRAO: SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE: SHRI T. RADHAKRISHNAN: DR. J. JAYAVARDHAN:

Will  the  Minister  of ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS  AND  CLIMATE  CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that the use of anti-inflammatory drug Diclofenac has caused steep decline in the population of vultures in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Ministry  has  taken  up  the  matter  with  the  Ministry  of  Health  & Family Welfare to restrict the use of Diclofenac;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the response received in this regard; and
- (e) the other steps taken by the Government to protect the vulture from extinction?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

- (a)&(b) Yes, Sir.  It  is  a  fact  that  the  use  of  anti-inflammatory  drug  Diclofenac  has caused steep decline in the population of vultures in the country. A survey conducted  by  the  Bombay  Natural  History  Society  under  a  special  project sponsored  in  the  year  2000  by  the  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and Climate Change revealed that there has been more than 90 percent decline in the populations of three species of vultures viz, White Backed, Long Billed and Slender Billed in many parts of the country. Post mortem and diagnostic tests  have  revealed  that  this  decline  has  been  due  to  consumption  of  the veterinary  drug ' Diclofenac' by  the vultures that fed  on  carcasses  of livestock.  Diclofenac  causes  deposition  of  uric  acid  in  the  visceral  organs leading to sudden death.
- (c)&(d) Yes, Sir. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had been requested for stopping veterinary use of Diclofenac and later for restriction on packaging of Diclofenac (human formulations) to single dose packaging for human use and to  discourage  veterinary  use  of  Diclofenac  and  incentivize  the  use  of Meloxicam.    The  Ministry  of  Health  and  Family  Welfare  issued  Gazette

Notification  dated  4.7.2008  prohibiting  manufacture  of  Diclofenac    for animal use and later  by  Gazette  Notification  dated  17.7.2015  restricting  on packaging of multi-dose vials of Diclofenac to single dose.

- (e) The following are the important steps taken by Government for protection of Vultures in the country:
- (i) Protection  status  of  White  backed,  Long  Billed  and  Slender  Billed Vultures  has  been  upgraded  from  Schedule  IV  to  Schedule  I  of  the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
- (ii) Two workshops were organized in New Delhi in September 2000 and April, 2004 to work out a comprehensive strategy for conservation of vultures in consultation with scientists.
- (iii) Bombay  Natural  History  Society  in  collaboration  with  the  Haryana State  Forest  Department  has  taken  up  a  project  on  conservation breeding  of  vultures.  A  'Vulture  Captive  Care  facility'  has  been established at Panchkula.
- (iv) The Ministry of Health has issued Gazette Notification dated 4.7.2008  prohibiting manufacture of Diclofenac  for animal use and vide notification  dated 17.7.2015 restricting packaging of multi-dose vials of Diclofenac to single dose.
- (v) The  State  Governments  have  been  advised  to  set  up  vulture  care centres for the conservation  of three species of vultures.
- (vi) Government of India has formulated a National Action Plan (2006) on Vulture  Conservation.    The  Action  Plan  provides  for  strategies, actions  for  containing  the  decline  of  vulture  population  through  exsitu, in-situ vulture conservation.
- (vii) Department  of forests of all states/UTs has been requested to constitute  a  Monitoring  committee  for  vulture  conservation  with  a view to implement the Action Plan, 2006 and for recovery of existing vulture sites.
- (viii) Captive breeding centres at Zoos at Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Junagarh and Hyderabad have also been set up through Central Zoo Authority.
- (ix) Ministry  has  also  taken  initiatives  to  strengthen  the  mass  education and awareness for vulture conservation.

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