Jharkhand’s maiden vulture breeding centre is ready to start functioning from August after more than four years of delay and flawed construction work that resulted in a false dawn in 2011. Officials in the forest department claimed that work was almost complete for opening the centre in Muta, around 25km from the state capital. “Only the finishing touches at the aviary, vulture clinics and fixing of nets are left, which aren’t major tasks. Civil works are over now, after much delay,” said an official. The project, estimated in excess of Rs 41 lakh, had been hanging in the balance for long because of reasons ranging from funds crunch to transfer of officials at regular intervals. Most importantly, technical flaws in its design identified by the department in September last year threatened its prospects. As reported in The Telegraph, the flaws relating to aviary ceilings, partitions and clinic, had cropped up despite various outdoor tours undertaken by forest officials for the project. However, conservator of forests (wildlife) R.B. Singh said that all the problems had been sorted and the centre would soon start breeding vultures to reverse their diminishing numbers in Jharkhand. “We are hopeful to open it from August. It will be the first of its kind breeding centre in the entire Bihar-Jharkhand region,” Singh added. He said the idea behind the centre was to raise vultures in captivity to check their rapid decline in population. Studies have suggested that diclofenac, a pain relief drug for livestock that remains within the bodies of dead cattle, is one of the biggest threats for vultures as they feed on carcasses. The birds are vital to maintain a healthy balance in the environment as they act as natural scavengers. “Breeding them in captivity alone will ensure safe food and environment for the vultures. After they grow up in a few years, they will be released in the natural environment,” said Singh. At present, the vulture population is barely around 250-300 in Jharkhand, with a majority (nearly 100) in Hazaribagh. The rest are to be found across the state. Singh said that various initiatives were also in place in Hazaribagh, where the department was working with local NGOs to protect the scavengers. Another official associated with the project said that following its inauguration, the centre might be opened for the public — encouraging leisure and educational tours — by charging nominal ticket fees to raise funds for its maintenance. “A proposal in this regard is also being drafted now,” the official added.