THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Nearly a month after a pet-shop owner was arrested in Thirumala, Thiruvananthapuram, for allegedly possessing a green iguana with a forged ownership certificate, traders and animal breeders are grappling with a question: how can they ascertain the genuineness of ownership documents accompanying animals? With no reliable mechanism to independently verify the authenticity of such certificates, owners fear they could face legal action for possessing animals whose documents were forged by suppliers.
The concern is particularly acute in the interstate trade of animals, with vendors claiming that the forest department has stopped issuing clearances towards the Union government’s portal due to a pending case in the High Court. As the business needs to continue despite these technical issues, pet-shop owners say the absence of an effective verification mechanism leaves them vulnerable to fraudulent documentation.
The complications surrounding the clearance process began in 2024, when the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC) introduced the Parivesh 2.0 (Pro-Active and Responsive facilitation by Interactive, Virtuous and Environmental Single-window Hub) portal. Citing practical difficulties in complying with the new requirements, the Aviculture Association of Kerala (AAK) approached the HC the same year, seeking changes to the norms.
“There are many impractical requirements under the new norms to obtain Parivesh clearance, such as registering the birth of animals within seven days and submitting documents from a veterinary doctor. This is a period when we cannot even identify the sex of the species. Neither do we have enough veterinary doctors who can provide these documents, nor can we afford the expenses of transporting every animal, which will also add to the health risks of these newborns,” said Sibi S Thomas, former state secretary of the AAK.
Sibi clarified the association was not opposed to Parivesh certification itself, but to what it considers impractical requirements under the system.
Meanwhile, he said, the forest department had stopped issuing clearances after granting a few approvals, leaving traders continuing to apply for clearances without receiving the necessary response.
With growing business demands and delay in clearances, some pet-shop owners continue to trade in animals, including species that require Parivesh 2.0 clearance, traders said. This, they fear, could leave them exposed to the risk of accepting forged documents.
To address the verification gap, pet-shop owners have called for a centralised helpdesk under the wildlife wing, where traders and district officials can authenticate Parivesh registration numbers and QR codes through an online or email-based system.
They have sought verification within 48 hours to ensure that traders can establish the genuineness of documents before purchasing animals. Responding to the demands, Forest Minister Shibu Baby John said the issue had come to his attention. “A report has been sought from principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) P Pugazhendi on the issue, and we will act accordingly,” he told TNIE.
