[Ananya Mukherjee provides us with another update on Vulture Safe Zones (VSZs) from India…]
After pushing the advocacy work for the vultures in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and Lucknow, the Uttar Pradesh Vulture Safe Zone (UP VSZ) became the next stop. Spot-checks on pharmacies, cattle fair visits, and extensive informal conversations with local community people revealed that the vulture cause has a long way to go in this State due to rampant misuse of human diclofenac in the veterinary sector. And it is no accident that UP VSZ is also in the cattle belt of India where animal husbandry is a popular practice. Inevitably, advocating for a diclofenac-free zone is much harder. Illegal use of multi-dose vials of human diclofenac not only highlights a strong need for smaller vial size of the human form but also strong measures to prevent its misuse in the veterinary sector.
Grappling with the problem of how to ensure better enforcement of the ban, there were heated debates with vets, Forest Officers and the State Animal Husbandry officials, including repeat visits to the Principle Chief Conservator of Forests' office in Lucknow. An important outcome of these meetings is the initiative to influence the District Magistrate (DM) of the Bahraich district where VSZ work is currently ongoing. A few phone calls, endless patience waiting to hear from officials and some intelligent string-pulling led to the issuance of the first DM Order in one of the district of UP. The first Order had a snow-ball effect and led to issuance of two more by the DMs of Bahraich and Lakhimpur Kheri district. These are Government Orders, which reinforce the ban on veterinary diclofenac. It further notified the Chief Medical Officer, District Drug Controller, Chief Veterinary Officer and Chief of Police within these districts to take strict action against the misuse of the human diclofenac and to restrict the sale of diclofenac without prescription from a Registered Medical Practitioner. The district level Order also notified people and government officials about an alternative safe drug Meloxicam, which can be used on animals as it has been found safe for vultures.
Nearly two months of campaigning for the vultures have helped create a momentum in different states where VSZ work is ongoing. In Gujarat, the Assam Drug Controller had already issued notices reinforcing the ban. Uttar Pradesh, though slow in picking up in its vulture advocacy work, has managed to make some progress which sent ripples in its neighbouring state Uttarakhand, where lobbying for the vultures with the Animal Husbandry Department and the Drug Controller has led to an immediate issuance of state level notices asking for strong reinforcement of the ban today.
A further important milestone has been the support and growing interest of the Forest Department in UP and Uttarakhand where Vulture Safe Zone work has been ongoing for the past one year.
Although slow going, it is hoped that the leakage of the large vials of human diclofenac into veterinary use will be plugged soon with the passing of the multi-dose vial ban and introduction of a single vial size to prevent the misuse.
Meeting with the District Magistrate in one of the districts of UP, as she is issuing orders to prevent the misuse of diclofenac (RSPB's Ananya is in the purple jacket).