District Collector M.C. Mohandas has warned against the violation of official guidelines when displaying elephants during temple festivals and other public functions.
The Collector said on Wednesday that new temple festivals or poorams would not be given permission to display elephants. An order issued by the Forest and Wild Life Department say only those festivals where elephants were used till 2012 will be allowed to display elephants from this year.
Also, permission would not be granted for more elephants than those used in festivals in 2012, the Collector said. Elephant race too would not be permitted in any case. The officials of the Forest, Revenue and Police Departments should examine the copies of the data book before the parade of elephants. Fitness certificate for elephants was compulsory, he said.
Mr. Mohandas said elephants would not be allowed to parade between 11 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. “In unavoidable cases, elephants should be displayed under shade of a canopy, and drinking water should be given frequently,” he said. The Collector has the discriminatory powers to give permission for elephant display between 11 a.m. and 3.30 p.m.
He also asked the organisers to ensure that people were kept at least three metres away from the elephants. “Mahouts should not be allowed to work after consuming alcohol at any cost.”
Festival committees should secure an insurance of at least Rs.25 lakh for 72 hours when elephants are used, the guidelines say. Elephants should be bound with knee chain and cross chain during display.
District-level monitoring committee should examine the availability of enough space if more than 15 elephants are used for display. The Collector said Divisional Forest Officers should enter in the data book all incidents caused by the elephants, including problems and damage to property. “The district monitoring panel should prepare a list of problematic elephants, and such elephants should not be allowed to be used for festivals.” Mr. Mohandas said.
Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/collector-warns-against-violating-elephant-guidelines/article4652680.ece
The Collector said on Wednesday that new temple festivals or poorams would not be given permission to display elephants. An order issued by the Forest and Wild Life Department say only those festivals where elephants were used till 2012 will be allowed to display elephants from this year.
Also, permission would not be granted for more elephants than those used in festivals in 2012, the Collector said. Elephant race too would not be permitted in any case. The officials of the Forest, Revenue and Police Departments should examine the copies of the data book before the parade of elephants. Fitness certificate for elephants was compulsory, he said.
Mr. Mohandas said elephants would not be allowed to parade between 11 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. “In unavoidable cases, elephants should be displayed under shade of a canopy, and drinking water should be given frequently,” he said. The Collector has the discriminatory powers to give permission for elephant display between 11 a.m. and 3.30 p.m.
Not more than 6 hours
The guidelines also say that a single elephant should not be used for more than six hours continuously a day. An elephant can be used for a maximum of eight hours in two sessions of four hours a day. Mr. Mohandas said an elephant used for display at night should not be used again during the next day. He asked festival organisers to ensure that elephants were given water and food before and after the parade.He also asked the organisers to ensure that people were kept at least three metres away from the elephants. “Mahouts should not be allowed to work after consuming alcohol at any cost.”
Festival committees should secure an insurance of at least Rs.25 lakh for 72 hours when elephants are used, the guidelines say. Elephants should be bound with knee chain and cross chain during display.
District-level monitoring committee should examine the availability of enough space if more than 15 elephants are used for display. The Collector said Divisional Forest Officers should enter in the data book all incidents caused by the elephants, including problems and damage to property. “The district monitoring panel should prepare a list of problematic elephants, and such elephants should not be allowed to be used for festivals.” Mr. Mohandas said.
Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/collector-warns-against-violating-elephant-guidelines/article4652680.ece
