HC bars selling of birds even as pets

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court has prohibited hunting, selling, buying or exchanging of birds even as part of sale as pets.

The court has further directed that transport and smuggling of live birds through various courier services or packages or any other mode through inland transport or through airports shall be prevented by the State Police, Customs and Security personnel in charge of the airports as well as police officials and other officials in control of the inland transport system.

A Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan and Justice Arijit Banerjee, during a hearing of suo motu matter on Friday, said: "Any violation of this prohibitory order will be immediately taken cognizance of by the jurisdictional officers as enjoined by the laws."

The Division Bench had taken up the matter on the basis of a newspaper report that 'exposed the tip of an iceberg' regarding the 'cruel intrusion' into the life birds.

"Non-implementation of this order in its letter and spirit will be looked upon as dereliction of duty and violation of this order on the part of the officers in the administration whose obligation it is to enforce this order," read the court order.