Govt withdrawas drug responsible for near extinction of vultures

New Delhi, May 24 (UNI) Conservationists have widely hailed the Government's move to withdraw Diclofenac, the drug responsible for mass extinction of vultures in the country, saying their longdrawn campaign against its use has finally borne fruit.

The drug is given to cattle mainly as a painkiller. It was after years of study that scientists noticed that vultures died from kidney failure after feeding on the carcasses of animals treated with it.

In an order issued this week, the Government has asked firms to phase out the drug within three months, officials here said.

White-backed and long-billed vultures have reached the verge of extinction since farmers began using the drug in the 90s. As much as 97 per cent of south Asian vulture population has been wiped out since then.

Vultures perform the job of nature's scavengers in rural areas by eating up carcasses that would otherwise breed disease.

The Government has been pushing farmers and vets to switch over to the alternative drug meloxicam, which it says was as effective.

The decline in vulture population has affected lakhs of craftsmen, leather tanners and bone collectors etc as they rely on cleaned carcasses as their raw material/for their livelihoods.

The disappearance of the birds has also forced the Parsi community in the country to find alternative methods of disposing of the bodies.

The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), which has been at the forefront of the campaign for ban on diclofenac has expressed great satisfaction over the Government's move.

Director Dr Asad Rahmani said "This is some of the best news of my life and shows that good scientific evidence has been accepted by the Indian Government.

Environment Ministry officials here also welcomed the ban saying it had become imperative to save the vultures from final extinction.

The Environment Ministry and the Health Ministry had recommended the Government for withdrawing the drug from the market.

UNI NAZ MSJ DB2002