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Ahead of Diwali: Forest dept to keep close watch on sale of owls, protected species
Forest staff would also keep eye on activities of suspicious persons near forest areas in the district, said divisional forest officer Mahaveer Koujalagi.
Forest department will keep an eye on sale of owls and other protected species of birds and animals at the bird market in the old city area of Prayagaraj ahead of Diwali.
Police help would be taken during raids, officials said.
Divisional forest officer Mahaveer Koujalagi said forest department would keep a strict eye at such markets and will take action if inputs are received about sale of prohibited species of birds and animals. Forest staff would also keep eye on activities of suspicious persons near forest areas in the district, he added.
The bird market locally known as ‘Machhli Bazar’ is in the old city area of Shahganj. The traders here mostly deal in chicken, goats, ducks, eggs etc. However, some of them have been traditionally selling local species of pigeons, parrots, Indian rose-ringed parakeet, local species of finch, red munia, Indian species of bulbul, partridges and quails etc. These birds are covered under Wildlife Act 1972 and their trapping, hunting and smuggling has been prohibited. Besides, the traders also deal in sale of exotic breeds or foreign breeds of parrots and other birds that too without a licence. However, the bird traders keep the birds and animals in small cramped cages exposed to harsh weather which often causes their death. Moreover, many birds are trapped and are provided to customers on special demand. Such birds include local specie of ‘haril’ or yellow-footed green pigeon found in forest areas, ‘shikra’ or goshawk (a smaller specie of hawks) and indigineous species of owls found in forest and rural areas of the region.
Owls are trapped and sold on high rates before and during Diwali at the bird market and are sacrificed due to some superstitions, said a local trader on condition of anonymity. He said some traders receive advance cash from special customers for providing owls. The traders ask the trappers in rural areas to fetch owls that are sold to customers in between ₹500 and ₹2000 or even more depending on its size. The owls are sacrificed due to some superstitions and for practicing sorcery on some special nights during Diwali, he said.
