It was just over a month since forest officials seized 12 peacocks from the old city residence of a pet shop owner and slapped cases against him. Sleuths of the anti- poaching squad could not arrest him then, for violation of the Wildlife Act, 1972, by breeding the national bird in captivity. Any action against him now appears quite unlikely.
The assistant conservator of forests (surveillance cell) Kondal Rao has been sent on deputation to Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority, whereas the post of forest range officer (anti-poaching) has been lying vacant for over four months. Deputy forest range officer SK Baba Khadir Vali, who led the raid, has been shifted to forest utilisation office. That leaves only two wildlife associates (temporary posts) to enforce the Wildlife Act.
According to sources in the department, the pet shop owner, SA Sohail, who runs Fur and Feathers in Banjara Hills, also had business partnership with Nehru Zoological Park for supply of exotic birds.
Sohail has, according to officials, supplied exotic birds to the zoo and is learnt to have been breeding peacocks, including two pure white peacocks, in the cellar of his house in Mochi Colony, Kalapathar. It is also learnt that those who raided Sohailβs house had come under fire from their bosses and explanation was sought from some in the form of showcause notice. However, the principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) AV Joseph was unavailable for comments despite repeated attempts.
Officials, based on a tip off, raided Sohailβs residence on May 11 and could not arrest him since he was in Mumbai then. But cases were registered against him under section 9 and 39 of the Wildlife Act, which would get him imprisonment up to 7 years.
βSohail has come back and is very much in Hyderabad. It is just that no one in the department is showing any interest in following up the case and arrest the offender,β pointed out an official on condition of anonymity.
The anti-poaching squad has been conducting raids and the seizure of 12 peacocks, listed as schedule-1 protected species, was certainly one of their biggest catch till date. Hunting, petting and breeding of any wildlife species listed in schedule I and II can attract imprisonment of three to seven years.
Meski Β· 1 year ago Published on 2024-10-17 05:56:25 ID NUMBER: 123523
Weeping redbud (Cercis canadensis) produces tiny pink-hued blooms in the spring, and 'Pink Heartbreaker' is a dwarf cultivar of this favorite tree. "Bower & Branch introduced 'Pink Heartbreaker' about 15 years ago, and the original discovered plant is still only 7 feet tall and about 15 feet wide," says Eaton. "These trees are more hardy than regular redbuds [and] are a great focal point, patio tree, or window tree!"
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