In the first phase, warning notices were issued to other bird markets including Lahore’s Tolanton Market
Lahore: Punjab Wildlife has decided to crack down on vendors selling wild birds and animals including fancy birds without dealer license across the province.
In the first phase, the department has issued warning notices to other bird markets including Lahore’s Tolanton Market. It should be noted that the shopkeepers selling and buying fancy and wild birds in Lahore had obtained an injunction from the Lahore High Court since 2016, which has now been dismissed.
Shopkeepers and dealers who sell wild and fancy birds, animals were of the view that fancy birds are not part of the wild environment of Punjab, they are foreign birds which are not covered by the Punjab Wildlife Act. Apart from this, the shopkeepers had also challenged the creation of 3 categories of dealer license by Punjab Wildlife and separate fee schedule for them.
Deputy Director Punjab Wildlife Lahore Region Tanveer Ahmed Janjua while talking to Express said that he had stated before the court that fancy birds are indeed not a part of our wild environment but the relationship of these birds or their origin is the forest. It is In the Punjab Wildlife Act, these birds have not been placed in the protected category. Apart from this, Punjab Wildlife is also responsible for monitoring the fancy birds as the dealers breed them at local level.
According to Tanveer Janjua, Justice Shahid Karim of Lahore High Court has issued an order to check the sellers of birds and wild animals in Tolanton Market and no one should be allowed to do this business without a license.
After this clear order of the Lahore High Court, it is now mandatory to get a dealer license for the places where wild and fancy birds are bought and sold in the city including Tolanton Market, Dharampura Bird Market, Canal Road Bird Market, Data Darbar Bird Market.
Dealer license fee for wild animals and birds is Rs.50,000 while for birds only Rs.30,000 with GST to be paid separately.
Speaking, Tanveer Janjua further clarified that the animals and birds protected in the Wildlife Act cannot be bought and sold, similarly no animal or bird can be sold after being caught from the forest. However, such animals and birds that have been bred in a breeding house or hatchery can be traded, including peacock, pheasant, deer, fancy bird, pheasant, quail, provided the dealer has this proof. He must have purchased these birds and animals from a registered wildlife breeding farm.
He said that after the warning notice, the shopkeepers who do not get the license will be sealed and all the animals and birds will be taken into government custody.
According to the Punjab Wildlife officials, action will be taken against those who deal in wild, fancy birds and animals without dealer license in all districts of Punjab after Lahore region, as a result of which their shops will be closed, they can be sent to jail along with heavy fines.
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