Responding to a complaint by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) on online classifieds player OLX over allegedly facilitating the sale of wildlife articles protected by law, the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has directed the company to withdraw “any such offer for sale” of animals or wildlife articles.
According to PETA sources, Additional Director Tilotama Varma of WCCB had issued the order under The Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and said that punishment may follow if the request is ignored.
The letter points out that the trade of wild animals and their parts is punishable by up to seven years of imprisonment and that "any person [including a company] that abets the contravention of any provisions of the Act or any rule or order made there under shall be deemed to have contravened that provisions or rule or order, and punishable under the rules of the Act".
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The letter also stated that through PETA's complaint it has come to the notice of the Bureau that some scheduled wildlife articles listed under Schedules of the Act are being offered for sale through the online portal.
"Animals are living beings. They are not ours to buy and sell like rice or teacups," said PETA India Chief Executive Officer Poorva Joshipura.