Sustainable Animal Health Management in Rural India

Why in News?

Recently, unchecked antibiotic use in rural livestock has accelerated antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

What is the relationship between AMR and rural livestock?

• Commercialized livestock system – The rising demand for animal products such as milk, eggs, meat, and other derivatives has led to a more commercialised livestock system.
• Misuse of antibiotics – In the process of livestock commercialization, the overuse and misuse of antibiotics have become common, whether for disease prevention or to enhance production.
• Undermining veterinary consultations – Antibiotics are frequently administered without veterinary consultation or proper diagnosis, often based merely on visible symptoms.
• Consequently, incomplete courses, overdosing, or the use of inappropriate medicines are common.
• As a result, pathogenic microorganisms develop resistance to these drugs.
• Effects of resistant microbes – These resistant microbes pose serious threats not only to animal health but also to human health, while simultaneously contaminating the food chain and the environment.
• Thus, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as a One Health issue — linking the health of animals, humans, and the environment.

World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) 2025 will take place from November 18 to 24, 2025, which is aimed to increase awareness of global antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and to encourage best practices

What are the major challenges in rural India?

• Weak animal health infrastructure – In rural areas, trained para-veterinarians or Pashu Sakhis / Pashu Salah Karmis are few in number.
• Government veterinarians often serve multiple villages and veterinary centres simultaneously.
• Due to the lack of immediate medical support, farmers frequently self-medicate their animals or rely on local drug sellers, especially for small livestock such as goats and poultry.
• Inadequate awareness – Farmers generally lack sufficient awareness regarding the proper use of antibiotics — their effects, side effects, correct dosage, and the withdrawal period (the time required before milk or meat can be safely consumed).
• Market pressure – Milk cooperatives, private companies (including medicine suppliers), and individual buyers tend to emphasise quantity over quality. This market pressure often pushes farmers — knowingly or unknowingly — to use additional drugs to restore animal health quickly and increase productivity.
• Lack of surveillance and data – AMR surveillance in India’s veterinary sector is extremely limited.
• There is no systematic mechanism for regular data collection and analysis from rural areas, making it difficult to assess the scale and pattern of antibiotic resistance in livestock.

What are some positive initiatives and pathways for solutions?

• Community-Based Animal Health Management – Organisations such as the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (India) have expanded access to animal health services at the village level through the Pashu Sakhi model.
• These locally trained women assist farmers in vaccination, parasite control, and basic animal care — including housing, feeding, health, marketing, and management.
• This approach reduces unnecessary drug use and strengthens preventive health measures.
• Awareness and Training – Regular training sessions should be organised for farmers, livestock advisors, and paravets.
• Awareness can also be promoted through banners and wall paintings highlighting the responsible use of antibiotics, biosecurity, and hygiene practices.
• Promotion of Preventive Measures – Preventive initiatives such as vaccination, improved nutrition, selective breeding, clean water, and hygienic animal housing help reduce the risk of infection and, consequently, the dependence on drugs.
• Strengthening Policy and Regulatory Frameworks – Strict controls should be enforced on the sale of antimicrobial drugs without prescription, along with monitoring of the veterinary drug supply chain and vaccination cold chain.
• State animal husbandry departments should also prepare local action plans aligned with the National Action Plan on AMR.
• Data-Based Monitoring – In collaboration with veterinary colleges, laboratories, and community organisations, a Rural AMR Surveillance Network can be developed to track infections and drug usage at the grassroots level.
• Livestock in India is not merely a source of livelihood but also the foundation of nutritional security and social stability, particularly in rural and remote regions.

What lies ahead?

• The path to solutions lies in community participation, policy support, and local innovation.
• Prioritising awareness and responsible animal health management in rural India will not only help control AMR but also pave the way for a healthy and sustainable livestock system.
• If these measures are adopted to control AMR, not only will animal health improve, but farmers’ wellbeing will also benefit, and the overall cost of livestock rearing will decline.
• Healthy animals will yield higher and more consistent production, leading to stable income. Moreover, livestock-related ecosystems will become more sustainable and secure.

Reference

Down To Earth| Sustainable Animal Health Management

Environmental, Coastal and Forest Clearance for Projects

Why in News?

In the wake of a real estate project that has come up allegedly inside the Pallikaranai marshland one of Chennai’s most ecologically sensitive zones and a Ramsar-notified wetland  questions have surfaced about how large projects obtain environmental approvals.

What is Environmental Clearance (EC)?

• Legal basis – Under the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006, issued under the Environment (Protection) Act, any project that could significantly alter land use or affect air, water, or ecosystems must obtain prior Environmental Clearance (EC).
• This includes large housing projects, industrial estates, power plants, mines, and infrastructure such as ports, airports, and highways.
  • For instance, any residential or commercial development with a built-up area of 20,000 square metres or more requires clearance before construction.
• Submission of project details – The process begins with the submission of project details.
• Screening – Screening and scoping is done by the appraisal committee to decide the studies required.
• EIA report – A detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report is then prepared, and a public hearing is conducted in the proposed project area.
• Approval – The committee reviews the findings and submits its recommendation, after which the SEIAA or the MoEF&CC issues the final clearance, often with conditions such as waste management, flood mitigation measures or maintaining green cover.
• Approval authority – Projects are categorised based on their size and impact.
  • Category A projects — They are usually large or located in sensitive areas such as national parks or coastal zones.
  • They are appraised at the national level by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
  • Smaller Category B projects – They are cleared at the state level by the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA).
  • SEIAA relies on the technical assessment of its State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC).
• Validity & Renewal – Environmental clearances are usually valid for 7 years and must be renewed if the project is delayed.

What is the process for clearance in coastal regulation zones (CRZ)?

• Legal basis – For projects near the coast, the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2019, applies.
• Regulation – It regulates activities within 500 metres from the High Tide Line and along tidal water bodies such as creeks and estuaries.
• Projects included – Projects such as resorts, ports, pipelines, roads, and power plants within these areas need CRZ clearance.
• Scrutiny – The State Coastal Zone Management Authority (SCZMA), examines the location of the project and determines whether it falls within the regulated coastal zone using approved maps.
• Approval – The proposal is then sent to the MoEF&CC for final approval if it involves major construction or lies in the most sensitive CRZ-I category.
• In the Pallikaranai case, CRZ rules are not directly applicable since the wetland lies inland, but for developments along Chennai’s coast, such clearances are mandatory.

What is the process for Forest clearance?

• Legal basis – Projects involving forest land require prior approval under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
• Any diversion of land recorded as forest whether reserve forest, protected forest, or deemed forest, must be cleared by the union government before being used for non-forest purposes.
• Proposal – The proponent must submit the proposal to the State Forest Department along with land details and a compensatory afforestation plan.
• Scrutiny – After State-level scrutiny, the proposal is sent to the MoEF&CC’s Forest Conservation Division.
  • Projects involving smaller areas (up to 40 hectares) are usually cleared by the ministry’s regional office.
  • Larger or ecologically sensitive proposals are decided by the union ministry itself.
• Only after such clearance can forest land be legally diverted for other uses.
• Prohibited area – Construction and reclamation are prohibited within wetlands and Ramsar sites under the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017.
• Any project proposed within or near such areas must be referred to the State Wetland Authority and the MoEF&CC for scrutiny.
• These layers of approval are meant to ensure that development does not compromise ecological stability or worsen the risk of flooding and habitat loss.
• Challenges – But gaps in mapping, interpretation of rules, and overlapping jurisdictions often lead to ambiguities in implementation.

Reference

The Hindu| Environmental clearance

Types of Plastics & their Recyclability

Why in news?

Only certain plastics can be recycled because of differences in their polymer structures, additives, and economic viability.

• Plastics – It is an umbrella term for various materials with some similar properties but differ in their polymer structures and chemical additives.
• These differences decide how each type of plastic behaves when it is heated, ground down, and remade, which is why only certain plastics are practically recyclable.
• Types – Thermoplastics & Thermosets.

• Limitation Factors for recycle–
  • Purity of additives & contaminants – Labels, food residues, dyes, fillers, flame retardants, and plasticisers alter melt flow and weaken the recycled product.
  • Multilayer Packaging – Combines different polymers (e.g., PET, polyethylene, aluminum) that are hard to separate.
  • Common in food packaging, but often not recyclable due to complexity.
  • Recycling is costly – Steps like collecting, sorting, washing, and remelting require money and infrastructure.
  • Chemical recycling– - New methods can break plastics into simpler molecules, but they use a lot of energy and aren’t widely adopted yet.

Reference

The Hindu | Why can we recycle only some kinds of plastics?

Lesser Florican

Why in news?

Justice P.S. Narasimha reviews the anthropocentric bias of inter-generational equity, arguing it may be inadequate for conservation of the dying species of the Great Indian Bustard and the Lesser Florican.

• Lesser Florican is a bustard species endemic to the Indian subcontinent, is the smallest in the bustard family.
• Scientific name – Sypheotides indicus.
• Locally, the bird is known as Kharmor (grass peacock) in Gujarat and Khar titar (grass pheasant) in Rajasthan.
• Family – Otididae.
• Habitat – It prefers open, semi-arid grasslands, often near agricultural fields, and in on-breeding months, it can inhabit wooded lands and scrublands, along with grasslands.
• Distribution – It has a widespread presence in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.
• Diet – Being omnivorous, their diet ranges from small insects and critters to herbs and shoots.
• Characteristics –
  • They are usually solitary and shy & males and females look different.
  • Appearance - Males are smaller, lighter, and have striking black-and-white feathers with decorative black head plumes.
  • Females are larger, brownish, and blend into grassy habitats thanks to their dull, camouflaged coloring.

• Conservation status
  • IUCN - Critically Endangered.
  • Wild life Protection Act, 1972 –Schedule-I.
• Threats – Habitat loss & degradation, invasive species, hunting, collisions with power lines, etc.

References

1. The Hindu | Justice P.S. Narasimha reviews on endanger species
2. Birdlife | Lesser Florican
3. Wildlife SOS | Lesser Florican

Draft Seeds Bill, 2025

Why in news?

The draft of the Seeds Bill, 2025, recently released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

• The draft bill seeks to replace the existing Seeds Act, 1966 & Seeds (Control) Order, 1983.
• Objective – To regulate the quality, sale, import, and export of seeds; ensure availability of quality seeds to farmers; and promote private sector participation.

Key provisions

• Mandatory Registration – All seed varieties for sale must be registered, and all seed producers, processors, and dealers must also be registered and licensed to operate.
• Quality Control – It ensures that all seeds meet minimum standards for germination, purity, traits, and health as per Indian Minimum Seed Certification Standards.
• Import & Innovation – The Central Government can allow the import of unregistered seed varieties for research & trial purposes (such imports must meet specific conditions set by the government).
• Liberalized import norms to promote access to global seed varieties & technologies in India.
• Implemented by – It defines the constitution and roles of Central & State Seeds Committees to oversee implementation.
• Validity – The initial registration for a new seed variety is valid to encourage innovation -
  • 15 years for annual and biennial crops.
  • 18 years for long-duration perennial crops.
• Penalties – 3 categories of offenses -
  • Trivial - Involve procedural lapses like delayed registration renewal; penalized with warnings or small fines to ease compliance.
  • Minor - Include mislabeling or non-disclosure of seed data; attract moderate fines or suspension of registration.
  • Major  - Cover serious violations like selling spurious seeds or fraud; subject to heavy fines and possible imprisonment (maxi punishment - Fine up to Rs. 30 lakh, Jail term up to 3 years)
• Deregulation of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) – would remove their sole authority over approving crop variety trials, allowing other accredited entities to participate in the testing process.
• Farmer Rights & Exemptions – The Bill protects a farmer's right to save, use, exchange, or sell their own farm seeds without registration, provided they do not sell them under a brand name.
• Appellate Authority – The Central Government will establish single or multi-person authorities to handle appeals regarding disputes over licensing, registration, cancellation and potential compensation claims.
• Compensation – If seeds fail to perform as expected, a farmer can claim compensation, potentially through a new speedy dispute resolution mechanism.

References

1. The Hindu | The Centre releases draft Seeds Bill, 2025
2. Indian Express | Centre releases draft Seeds Bill, 2025

Malaria

Why in news?

Researchers have recently identified two promising new approaches to counteract malaria’s growing resistance to medication — one involving a new class of drugs.

• Malaria is a life-threatening, mosquito-borne disease caused by parasites.
• Caused by – The Plasmodium parasite (mainly P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, P. malariae, and P. knowlesi).
• Transmission – It is transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, through blood transfusions or contaminated needles, etc. (No direct human-to-human transmission).
• Symptoms – Typically include fever, fatigue, and headaches, but severe cases can lead to jaundice, seizures, coma, or death.
• Higher risk – Infants, children under 5 years, pregnant women and girls, travellers and people with HIV or AIDS.
• Disease burden – Malaria cases increased globally to an estimated 263 million cases in 2023, up from 252 million in 2022, with approximately 597,000 deaths (WHO’s World Malaria Report 2024).
• It is mainly found in tropical and subtropical climates and largest death toll in recent years has been seen in children in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Prevention – Malaria can be prevented with insect repellent, protective clothing, and preventive medication, and is treatable with antimalarial drugs, especially when caught early. 
• Antimalarial drugs available in India – Chloroquine, Artemisinin-based combination like Artesunate + Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine (SP) and Artemether-Lumefantrine, and Quinine, etc.

Quick Fact

References

1. The Hindu | 2 new malaria treatments
2. WHO | Malaria

Ricin Poison

Why in news?

The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad arrested three men for allegedly trying to produce a lethal chemical compound called Ricin.

• Source – Ricin is essentially a protein that can be extracted from the castor bean (extremely lethal—just 1 mg in food can kill an adult).
  • Castor is largely grown industrially for the production of castor oil in countries such as India, Brazil, and China.
  • The seeds typically contain 30% to 60% castor oil, with ricin accounting for 1% to 5% of the weight of the solid residue.
  • The plant is widely available, and the poison is not very difficult to extract from the seeds.

Ricin - listed as Schedule 1 toxin under the Chemical Weapons Convention — substances that pose the highest risk of being used as a chemical weapon, this list also includes sarin gas and blister agents such as mustard gas.

• Working – It works by binding to ribosomes and halting protein synthesis in cells, depending on which organs absorb it, this can lead to multi-organ failure and death.
• Symptoms – Ingesting ricin can lead to severe vomiting and diarrhoea - which can become bloody, low blood pressure, hallucinations and seizures, multi-organ failure, and death.
• Treatment – There is no antidote or specific treatment for ricin poisoning, and the treatment is symptomatic.
• Challenge – Diagnosing ricin poisoning, a significant challenge because it is so uncommon, doctors generally do not consider it as a possibility during a patient's initial visit.
• Historical use –
  • Military Interest – Studied by the U.S. in WWI and WWII, Iraq attempted to develop it as an inhalable agent in 1980.
  • Criminal Use – Assassination of Bulgarian journalist Georgi Markov in London (1978).

Reference

Indian Express | Ricin poison ‘terror plot’