ALAPPUZHA: The Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) here on Monday summoned organisers of an elephant show at Cherumannil Mahavishunu temple run by Travancore Devaswom Board for violating the norms issued by the Captive Elephant Prot-ection Committee, headed by the district collector. ACF V.R. Jaykrishnan told this newspaper that the temple administration committee representatives admitted to the violation, but no case has been registered against them.
“We gave them a copy of the guidelines which the committee had issued,” he said. “We warned them of action if they violated them again.” He said the department has not closed the matter and is verifying the details of the hired elephants. District Veena N. Madhavan had intervened to stop the parade after DC on September 10 reported that it would result in the violation of norms.
The Captive Elephant Protection Committee had formed the norms to stop the misuse of elephants for various purposes. They mandated that the temple authorities ensure all the elephants have proper ownership and other documents before the festival begins and that the information be passed on to the nearest forest range office. The temple authorities and elephant owners are also required to inform the forest and wild life department on the parade 72 hours prior to the event.
Forest dept bans use of ailing jumbo
The forest department has banned exhibiting Kaveri, an ailing and aged elephant, for public functions and money-earning activities. The Assistant Con-servator of Forests (ACF) Wayanad A. Shajana who issued the order said the elephant was suffering from serious illnesses and that its current owner has been found violating ownership transfer norms. “We request people to intimate us if they get information on the use of the elephant,” she said. The elephant is now undergoing treatment at Erumeli for acute digestion problem.
