THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Animal activists have taken strong exception to the decision of Vaikom Mahadeva temple authorities to line up 20-odd elephants within its premises on Friday as part of the temple festival. The charge is that the congregation of elephants was illegal on two counts. Firstly, it violates the interim order of the Supreme Court in May this year that had prohibited the parade of elephants without ownership certificates. The Supreme Court, in its interim order, had stayed the Forest Department’s “one-time amnesty scheme” to register 289 elephants that did not possess a valid ownership certificate.
The Court also directed that if any certificates were given, it had to be withdrawn and suspended immediately. Secondly, it flouts a 2008 government order that prevents temple committees from staging elephant displays that had no precedent or from increasing the number of elephants in traditional processions. The ‘aanayoottu’ (elephant feeding) event for which the elephants were paraded is being held for the first time at the temple, and therefore a clear violation. It is also said that the Kottayam District Elephant Welfare committee, which decides on elephant-related activities in the district, was also convened in a hasty manner.
The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) member, A.G. Babu, has put down his dissent. The AWBI nominee pointed out that the display would be a bad precedent and read out the relevant portions from the judgment of the Supreme Court, State Government orders and circulars. (It was another apex court order in August this year that facilitated the inclusion of an AWBI representative in all the 14 elephant welfare committees in the state.) He also pointed out that the move of the temple could invite contempt of court provisions. Rules say that forest, revenue and police officials should be informed of an elephant procession at least three days in advance. In this case, the committee was convened on November 17, a day before.
