Campaign to save vultures launched in Uttar Pradesh

With an aim to save endangered species of vultures in Uttar Pradesh from fatal uses of diclofenac drug, Royal Bird Protection Society has launched a joint campaign with Katarnia Ghat Foundation and Bombay Natural History Society.
A three member group met the district magistrate Kheri Manisha Trighatia and shared their concerns over the use of painkiller diclofenac on animals and its fatal impacts upon the vulture population.
The manufacturing, sale and distribution of diclofenac drug for animal uses has been prohibited by the central government in July 2008.
The group comprised RBPS coordinator Ananya Mukherjee, KGF coordinator Fazlurrahman and Vikram Tewari.

They requested the DM to extend cooperation to restrict the sale of diclofenac for human uses only and to stop its over-the-counter sale.
RBPS alongwith KGF and BNHS has launched a joint venture to restrict use of diclofenac and to promote a safe alternate meloxicam, Mukherjee said.

Trighatia instructed the SP, chief medical officer, chief veterinary officer and chief drug inspector to ensure that diclofenac was sold at the medical shops on a prescription of a registered medical practitioner only and the drug was not allowed to be used on animals.
"Despite ban on diclofenac on animals, the quacks in rural areas have found a new way to violate the ban orders. We carried out pharmacy surveys in several rural areas and the findings were stunning," Mukherjee said.

She added that indiscriminate use of diclofenac has caused severe loss to vultures, which under schedule 1 of Wildlife Protect Act, are categorised as endangered species.
DMs of Moradabad, Behraich and Kheri have extended their cooperation and they hope their mission would gain momentum to protect and conserve the vultures in UP, she added.