Thrissur: Heritage Animal Task Force, a pro-animal organisation based here has come out against the state government, forest department and the four Devaswom boards in Kerala for not taking stringent steps in implementing the Supreme Court Order in 2015 for providing roofed shelter for all captive elephants under the temple Devaswoms. In a press meet held in Thrissur on Tuesday on the eve of National Elephant Day, Task Force secretary V. K. Venkitachalam said that most of the captive elephants in Kerala are suffering from foot disease, blindness, indigestion and respiratory issues without getting proper care.
"The forests in Kerala are encroached by plantation and resort mafias. The wild animals including elephants are killed at will to suit their convenience," he said. He released the list of 210 wild elephants which he claims to have died in the forests in the state in one year between 4-10-2016 to till date during the press meet. The Task Force prepared this list on the basis of media reports, Mr Venkitachalam said. The details of 18 captive ones which died during the same time frame were also released.
