8 august, Mahottari – Mahottari, a district in the eastern Terai, has been announced the 58th district free from diclofenac, anti-inflammatory and analgesic drug used on livestock.
The district was officially declared the free from the use of this painkiller drug by the District Livestock Office, Jaleshwor Monday, confirmed Office Chief Dr Jeevan Kumar Singh.
Nepal had banned the use of this drug, proved toxic for vultures, some 11 years ago, following a dramatic fall in the number of scavenging birds from Nepal, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Before the year 1991, there were above a half million of vultures of nine species in the country and later this number was found dwindled at an alarming rate (some 91 per cent), prompting the authorities concerned to take an immediate step to conserve this bird.
Vultures feeding on carcasses of animals treated with diclofenac suffered kidney failure and died.
Earlier, 57 districts were announced the diclofenac-free zones.
According to Nepal Bird Conservation Field Officer Bhupal Nepali, during the market monitoring, the decision to ban the drug in the district was found fully implemented.
As per the Drugs Act-1978, anyone found producing, using, selling, importing, exporting and storing this drug, shall deserve three years in prison or fine of Rs 25,000 or both.
