Kerala: Centre shows trumpet card

A festival without an elephant parade? This is what many in Kerala fear if the elephant is granted Heritage Animal status by the Central Government. The decision was taken recently by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MEOF) on a recommendation made by the ministry's Elephant Task Force (ETF). Elephant owners in Kerala have risen in protest against many recommendations of the 12 member-ETF committee headed by Mahesh Rangarajan. Kerala Elephant Owners Association representatives and some political leaders have requested Union Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh not to ban elephant parades at festivals. "In Kerala, elephants are a part of our lives and cannot be seen as just wild animals," says T.N. Arun Kumar, president, Elephant Owners Association. Benoy Viswam, state Minister for Forests and Environment, also does not want the ban. "That doesn't mean the owners can exploit and persecute the elephant for commercial or religious purposes. Attempts to regulate the brutal management of elephants have been resisted by owners in the name of culture and tradition," he says.This is precisely what the ETF says in its report, Gajah: Securing the Future for Elephants in India, to the MEOF: "Quality of care and management of captive elephants has been inadequate and there is substantial room for improvement of the conditions in captivity". The report also states that the elephant (both wild and captive) has the status of a wild animal included in Schedule 1 under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and can neither be owned nor traded by private persons as it is owned by the state. A captive elephant's legal status falls in the Wildlife Act and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, giving rise to "abuse and misuse"."The persecution and crass commercial exploitation of elephants in the name of tradition and rituals has crossed all limits," says V.K. Venkitachalam of the All-Kerala Elephant Lovers Association. "Strict regulations have to be implemented without delay." Overuse and abuse of captive elephants has led to an increase in mahouts being gored to death by exhausted and enraged elephants at festivals. During the January-March festival period in Kerala temples each year, at least 10 mahouts are killed by their elephants. In 2006-07, 48 mahouts were killed by elephants. "Most of the incidents of elephants killing mahouts are retaliatory in nature against overwork, insufficient rest, food, etc," says Venkitachalam. .preferred-source-banner{ margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom:10px;}During the same year, 147 captive elephants died due to overwork, poor diet, medical treatment, road accidents and torture. Incidences of persecution of elephants forced the state Government bring in a comprehensive Kerala Captive Elephant Maintenance Act in 2003, which prescribed the duration of the animal's working hours, rest, diet, etc and stipulated stringent punishment for owners who violate them.Owning an elephant is lucrative business in Kerala, with each being rented out at Rs 50,000 a day during festivals. And while the owners are unhappy with the ETF's recommendations, mahouts are elated. "We are the worst sufferers. We are paid badly even though we live with the fear of being attacked by the beast," says K. Biju of the All Kerala Mahouts Association. He cites this for the heavy decline in the number of mahouts-from 2,500 10 years ago to less than 1,000 now. "This has led to a dearth of mahouts leading to even unskilled and untrained persons becoming mahauts. Elephants running amok or killing people can be traced to unskilled mahouts who resort to torture which enrage them and go berserk," he says.While the ETA recommendations may be a boon for elephants, it does not bode well for the owners.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Nov 26, 2010--- ENDS ---

Download App

Mood of the Nation Offer: Use promo code MOTN2026 to get ₹500 off on all Print + Digital subscriptions

Kerala: Centre shows trumpet card

Abuse of domesticated pachyderms prompts the Centre to suggest a ban on parading them in public.

PUBLICATIONS

TELEVISION

EVENTS

RADIO

GAMING

USEFUL LINKS

PRINTING

WELFARE

DISTRIBUTION

SYNDICATIONS

WEBSITES

EDUCATION