New Guidelines for Poultry Farmers | 28 Aug 2021

Why in News

According to new guidelines for poultry farmers, small and marginal poultry farmers in India will now have to take measures similar to their bigger counterparts to prevent environmental pollution.

Till now, small poultry farms in India were exempt from environmental laws.
In 2020, the National Green Tribunal stated that the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) should revisit the guidelines for keeping poultry farms in the green category and free from air, water and environmental protection laws.

Status of Poultry Birds in India

According to the 20^th Livestock Census, there are 851.8 million poultry birds in India.
- About 30% of this is ‘backyard poultry’ or small and marginal farmers.
Chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, etc, are reared in poultry farms for meat and eggs.
Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Assam and Kerala have the highest poultry populations.

Key Points

Major Provisions:
- New Definition of Poultry Farmer:
  - Small Farmers: 5,000-25,000 birds
  - Medium Farmers: More than 25,000 and less than 1,00,000 birds
  - Large Farmers: More than 1,00,000 birds
- Certificate of Consent Required:
  - For establishing and operating a medium-sized poultry farm.
  - This will have to be taken from the State Pollution Control Board or Committee under the Water Act, 1974 and the Air Act, 1981.
  - Permission will be valid for 15 years.
- Implementing Agency:
  - The Animal Husbandry Department will be responsible for implementing the guidelines at the state and district level.
- Reducing Pollution:
  - Poultry farms should have a ventilated room to reduce the gaseous pollution from the birds.
  - Also, care should be taken so that poultry faeces do not mix with running water or any other pesticide.
  - A farm should be set up 500 metres away from a residential area, 100 metres from rivers, lakes, canals and drinking water sources, 100 metres from national highways and 10-15 metres from village footpaths and rural roads.
Need:
- Poultry production is associated with a variety of environmental pollutants, including oxygen-demanding substances, ammonia, solids, besides it attracts flies, rodents, dogs and other pests that create local nuisances and carry diseases.
  - Poor management of manure, litter and wastewater etc. adversely affects the living in the vicinity.
- Furthermore, intensive poultry production may be responsible for greenhouse gasses, acidification and eutrophication.
- The NGT in 2020 said that sustainable development is a part of the right to life and the state authorities are under obligation to protect the environment as per sustainable development concept.
Some Initiatives for Poultry:
- Poultry Venture Capital Fund (PVCF):
  - The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying is implementing it under “Entrepreneurship development and Employment generation” (EDEG) of the National Livestock Mission.
  - It is a bankable programme and the Central Government is providing subsidy through National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (NABARD) for those beneficiaries taking loan for PVCF.
- National Livestock Mission:
  - Different programmes under the National Livestock Mission under which financial assistance is provided to States/Union Territories for implementation of Rural Backyard Poultry Development (RBPD) and Innovative Poultry Productivity Project (IPPP).
- Assistance to States for Control of Animal Diseases (ASCAD) Scheme:
  - ASCAD under “Livestock Health and Disease Control” (LH&DC) which covers the vaccination of economically important poultry diseases viz., Ranikhet Disease, Infectious Bursal Disease, Fowl Pox etc., including control and containment of emergent and exotic diseases like Avian Influenza.

Source: DTE