Free as a bird! Ring-Necked Parakeet.BHOPAL: Twenty-caged green parrots put up for sale at a weekly market were set free by the forest department as part of the bird awareness drive, which began on Saturday.

Under the drive, a team of forest department officials and bird rights activists went to the Jehangirabad weekly market and found hawkers selling the parrots, Bhopal forest range officer (flying squad) N D Sharma told TOI.

Catching, selling and purchase of the green parrots is prohibited under the Wildlife Conservation Act, he said, adding they would run the awareness campaign till February 25. "After this, we plan to take strict legal action against such parrot sellers, Sharma added.

This banned business invites a punishment ranging from six months to two years and a fine of Rs 25,000 or both, the officer said.

An organisation - Bhopal Birds - representative Mohammad Khalid said there was a dire need to create awareness because the seller and purchasers don't know that green parrot is a bird protected under the Act.