Visakhapatnam: The fortune of fortune tellers in Vizag city has turned bleak with the forest department cracking whip on them frequently on the ground that they are inflicting torture and being cruel to the parakeets.
The forest officials' action has set free many parakeets caged by soothsayers. The forest department has taken up a special drive after receiving sharp criticism from many bird lovers in the city for ignoring cruelty meted out to the parakeets caged by the soothsayers.
Members of Vizag Bird Watchers Society claim that caging or hurting parakeets for commercial purposes is also an offence under the Wildlife (Protection Act), 1972 and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1979.
"The soothsayers pick newborn parakeets from the nest and put them in a cage. They force them to pick cards and avoid food if the parakeets don’t obey their commands." said Vivek Rathod, a bird lover. The feathers of the parakeets are seen plucked and they are often chained to the cages.
The bird lovers also said the GVMC, forest department and zoo officials are blaming each other, when asked about the protection of parrots. Vizag divisional forest officer B. Dhananjay Rao said the forest department was persuading the soothsayers to switch to other professions before taking them to task.
"We give them time and take action if they continue to do so. We have launched a special drive for this," he added. Soothsayers are mostly found at Tenneti Park, Vuda Park, Kailasagiri in the city. They say they treat the parakeets good as the birds help them earn their livelihood.
"Before implementing rules, the government should give us some compensation so that we can opt for other jobs," said G. Ravana, a soothsayer near Tenneti Park.
