Question : CONTROVERSY OVER ANTI-SANKE VENOM

(a) whether attention of the Government has been drawn to the news-item captioned `PSU anti-snake serum produces bad blood` appearing in the Times of India dated June 29,2001;

(b) whether there has been a controversy over anti-snake venom between Haffkine authorities at Mumbai and the animal lover Maneka Gandhi;

(c) if so, the present status thereof;

(d) whether it would be possible for the Government to assist by providing the kind of horses based on professional considerations;

(e) whether it is fact that besides Haffkine Mumbai the anti-snake serum is manufactured by DRI Kasauli, Kings Institute Guindy in Chennai, Tamil Nadu and possible some private firms; and

(f) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE OF THE MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT ( SMT. MANEKA GANDHI)

(a) Yes Sir.

(b) Yes Sir.

(c) The controversy over anti snake venom serum production by Haffkine Bio-Pharma Corporation Ltd. (HBPCL) has arisen because the concerned institute is not following the prescribed guidelines in the production of Anti Snake Venom Serum(ASVS) . Sick, blind, pregnant and overaged animals are being used in the production. There are cases of horses being overbled. It is the duty of the committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA) to take all such measures as may be necessary to ensure that animals are not subjected to un-necessary pain or suffering before, during or after the performance of experiments on them. CPCSEA is prescribing the standard procedure to be adopted in the production of anti snake venom serum. The Committee for the purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA) has constituted a sub-committee to look into the various issues related to ASVS Production in HBPCL.

(d) No Sir.

(e) Yes Sir.

(f) As per information available with the CPCSEA Anti Snake Venom serum is produced by Central Research Institute, Kasauli; Kings Institute of Preventive Medicine, Guindy, Chennai; Biological Evans, Hyderabad; Serum Institute, Pune; Bharat Serum Vaccine Ltd. Thane; Vince Bio-products, Hyderabad; Bengal Chemicals, Calcutta. .