NGOs go to court over parading of elephants in ceremonies

PIL against officials for issuing NOCs to bring jumbos from other states

 Elephants being used in various ceremonies and processions have for long raised the heckles of environmentalists, on the grounds that the ‘gentle giants’ are subjected to inhuman treatment in the name of culture and tradition.

Compassion Unlimited Plus Action (CUPA) and Akhila Karnataka Prani Daya Sangha have gone a step further and have filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the High Court, against the Principal Secretary to the Department of Environment and Ecology, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden.

The authorities named have been accused of blatantly issuing no objection certificates (NOCs) to elephant owners from other states to bring their animals to Karnataka, to participate in ceremonies in temples.

The petitioners have sought a complete ban on the use of elephants in any form of begging, performance or procession as also for a writ of mandamus (court order), directing the respondents to take custody of all elephants in the State, to establish care and rescue centre for such animals and also to frame rules for their care, maintenance and upkeep. The High Court has ordered notices to the respondents.

Every year, elephants are brought from Tamil Nadu and Kerala to Bangalore, especially in December and January, to participate in religious ceremonies conducted at various Ayyappa temples across the City and the State. Deccan Herald had reported one such instance in its January 3, 2013 edition.

These animals were brought to the City for 45 days and are booked by various temple authorities to participate in their ceremonies. These jumbos constantly move from one place to another, even walking amid heavy traffic on the roads.

Such elephants are invariably rented for ‘performing’ various tricks and to take part in processions in the name of culture and religion. Invariably, such animals end up “begging” for food, drink, money, etc, in the guise of entertaining the public or blessing them.

The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 categorises Indian elephants under Schedule I, whereby they enjoy the highest degree of protection by virtue of their ecological importance.

Though the mandate for Schedule-1 animals is an absolute ban on sale or commercial transfers, ownership certificates are granted as per Sections 40 and 42 of the Act. Such certificates for elephants are obtained by private individuals and institutions, which in turn protect them from the illegal and inhuman treatment meted out to these animals.

At the temple ceremonies, there is usually bursting of crackers and loud beating of drums which naturally irritate the elephants. There have been incidents of animals running amok and hurting themselves, the mahouts and bystanders in the process.

Such elephants are often “untrained” to loud noise, crowds and continuous walking on tar roads or smooth surfaces.  The petition states that captive elephants are used for ‘protests’, ‘election campaigns’ and in the name of ‘tradition’. Top IT companies and five star hotels use elephants at airports to receive foreign guests.

There is a dire shortage of trained mahouts and often ganja (marijuana) is fed to such elephants to keep them under control.

This, in turn, adversely impacts their health and can often be counterproductive, causing them to go berserk.

Even pregnant and blind elephants are not spared from begging and performing. Elephants in “musth” (highly aggressive behaviour) are tough to control, even in natural environments. Despite this, they are rented by temples and mutts for ceremonies, thereby putting precious lives of bystanders, devotees and mahouts at constant peril.