Today's Editorial

The poultry industry needs urgent reforms

Relevance: GS Paper III

Why in News?

The current outbreak of H5N1 is a result of unsafe conditions in industrial livestock production. India's environmental laws and regulations must reflect the interconnectedness of animal welfare with public health, ecosystem health, and biodiversity conservation, as demonstrated by the One Health principle.

Scale of biosecurity issue:

• The first H5N1 infection spilt over to humans directly from chickens in Hong Kong in 1997. In India, the first H5N1 patient was reported in Maharashtra in 2006. An outbreak in December 2020 and early 2021 spread across 15 States.
• This pathogen has crossed many species barriers, killing polar bears in the Arctic and seals and seagulls in Antarctica.
• With humans, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates the fatality rate for H5N1 at 52%, based on the 463 deaths recorded since 2003 among the 888 people diagnosed with the virus.

Interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health:

• Almost all cases of human infection with avian influenza A (H5N1) have been linked to close contact with infected birds or contaminated environments.
• These contaminated environments are created by cramming chickens in wired cages, or ‘battery cages’, in high densities. Animals are heavily stocked in unsanitary conditions.
• Not only does this have a detrimental effect on the welfare of animals and the health of those who consume the food derived, but it also affects the people working at these facilities and residing in the vicinity.
• Local farmers periodically collect the faecal matter generated at these facilities for use as fertiliser. The amount of piled-up manure exceeds the carrying capacity of the land and becomes a pollutant.
• Farmers complain of damaged crops and piles of waste that become breeding grounds for disease vectors such as flies.
• Residents are compelled to adopt measures such as spraying insecticides inside their homes, which leads to breathlessness and a nauseating smell.
• The resultant air quality and waste problem has a significant footprint in India due to the odour, particulate matter, and other greenhouse gas emissions.
• Hence, the impact of the emissions in the atmosphere, effluents in the water systems, and solid wastes in the soil generated by these industries is felt by humans, other animals, and the environment.

Challenges faced by poultry farmers:

• Due to contract farming, large debts, and a very specialised skill set, poultry farmers often find it difficult to exit the industry despite losses. However, the myriad problems faced by these farmers often push them out of business.
• Farmers suffer due to market volatility and prevalent practices pushed by industry giants. For instance, antibiotics are regularly given to birds as prophylactics and growth promoters so that more animals can be grown for greater profit.
• Furthermore, several antibiotics classified as critically important and highly important by the WHO are widely sold to farmers for preventative use.
• • This practice is still commonly recommended for day-old chicks to reduce the likelihood of disease and mortality.
  • Experts predict the rising demand for protein will cause a surge in antibiotic use in livestock.

Regulatory compliance:

• The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has classified poultry units with more than 5,000 birds as a polluting industry that requires compliance and regulatory consent to establish and operate.
• It has issued some poultry industrial units closure notices for being in violation of the law.
• Keeping animals in intensive confinement constitutes a crime under the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960.
• • Moreover, the operational activities at these industrial facilities cause unnecessary pain and suffering to the animals because of mutilation, starvation, thirst, overcrowding, and other ill-treatment, which is also a violation of the PCA Act.

Way forward:

• 269th Law Commission of India report:
• The Law Commission in 2017 placed on record a representation by the Tata Memorial Centre that contained evidence that non-therapeutic antibiotics given to poultry cause antibiotic resistance since living conditions are unhygienic.
• It further said that with more open, cleaner, and ventilated living spaces, animals are less likely to need constant antibiotics, making their eggs and meat safer for consumption.
• Finally, it made recommendations for a set of two draft rules for the welfare of chickens in the meat and egg industries, noting that improved animal welfare results in better and safer food.
• These rules laid down guidelines based on existing laws and international best practices for animal care, waste management, and antibiotic use, among other things.
• However, the Draft Rules for the egg industry released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare in 2019 are weak and tokenistic. They must meet the recommendations of the Law Commission.
• Strict oversight of compliance and enforcement of environmental regulations is needed, given the CPCB’s reclassification of the poultry industry as a highly polluting ‘orange category’ industry. Addressing the situation in light of the bird flu public health crisis and the climate emergency is crucial.

Conclusion:

The outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza has highlighted the concerns surrounding industrial livestock production and its implications for public health, environmental sustainability, and animal welfare in India. There is an urgent need for monitoring as well as enforcement of legal and regulatory mechanisms.

Mains PYQ:

Q. India needs to strengthen measures to promote the pink revolution in food industry for ensuring better nutrition and health. Critically elucidate the statement. (UPSC 2013)

Q. Critically examine the role of WHO in providing global health security during the Covid-19 pandemic. (UPSC 2020)