Thrissur: Environmentalists in Varapuzha, Erna-kulam slammed the forest department for not inaction against a rich businessman for allegedly keeping peacocks in captivity at an enclosure in his courtyard.
The businessman who is into printing, resides at Alphonsa Junction, Varapuzha is learnt to have shown forest officials a piece of document that he claims to have obtained in 1990s and allegedly defended his illegal activity of keeping at least five birds in captivity claiming that he was only feeding the peacocks openly and their enclosure is open.
However, the greens in the area who had taken up the issue with forest officials said that above the metal fencing of the enclosure there is a thin white coloured nylon net covering the sides and the top of the enclosure and as per Zoo Authority of India rules, the national birds cannot be kept in captivity like this.
They said that there is also a white peacock in the enclosure which is rarely seen in Kerala and brought from north Indian states by violating rules.
The forest officials concerned were not available for comments.
