Thursday, November 28, 2013 | Malabar
Hill Mumbai : PAWS-Mumbai Team meet Hon’ble Minister of State for Forests Dr. Patangrao Kadam and Additional Principal Chief
Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) West Region Shri Suresh Thorat to Demand Total Banning of Elephants
into the limit of Maharashtra State with immediate effect by implementation of
Existing Animal Welfare Laws as per our Constitution of India
Plant
& Animals Welfare Society – Mumbai team lead by Abhijeet Rane and Sunish
Subramanian Kunju met Hon’ble Minister of State for Forests Dr. Patangrao Kadam and submitted a Citizen
Report which highlights the Cruelty on Elephants by their private owners in
state of Maharashtra. The report contain copy of letters from NGOs, MPs, MLA,
MLC, Municipal Councilor, Media, and Animal Lovers across the state demanding
total banning of Elephants in the state of Maharashtra.
During
this meeting Hon’ble Minister of State for Forests Dr. Patangrao Kadam directed Additional Principal
Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) West Region Shri Suresh Thorat to take
necessary action on the issue and also have brief
discussion on the issue.
Below is the brief letter of
PAWS-Mumbai …………..
To,
Shri. Patangrao
Kadam
Hon’ble Minister
of State for Forests
Subject
: Cruelty on Elephants in the
state of Maharashtra by private owned Elephants owners who bring the Elephants
from other states. Demand Total
Banning of Elephants into the limit of Maharashtra State with immediate effect
by implementation of Existing Animal Welfare Laws as per our Constitution of
India
Dear Sir,
Our father of nation Mahatma Gandhi said “The greatness of a nation
and its moral progress can be judged by the way
its animals are treated” and we Indian believe Elephant as a God, but recent death of “Bijli
/ Ramu” elephant in Mulund, Mumbai (Maharashtra) which we strongly believe is
due to use of elephants on streets, crowded area, joy rides, use in marriage
ceremonies and other commercial purpose by their owner without any proper diet
& health care. Bijli is not the first Elephant who has died, in 2006, an
elephant “Roopkali / Laskhmi” too died after being hit by speeding water tanker
on the streets of Chembur, Mumbai (Maharashtra).
The Indian Elephant is listed at S. No. 12-B
in Schedule – 1 of The Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act 2002. As in Maharashtra
there are not habitats for elephants, so they are brought to Maharashtra from
other states by road ways on foot. Such elephants are taken away from their
natural habitats and forcibly separated from their parents at young age and
thus illegally (maybe legally) brought to towns for commercial purposes. Can
they be given requisite permissions like ownership certificate & transit
permit by Forest Department and allowed to bring to towns for commercial
purpose? We strongly believe not a single elephants in Maharashtra is covered
by Elephant Insurance Policy nor having Certificate of Implantation of
Microchip which is the duty of Forest Department to track the movement of such
animals and even not have any data base of the elephants owned by private
people too. No forest check post staff is keeping a watch of Elephants which
are coming into state of Maharashtra from other State.
We
learned that all Elephants owners have failed to provide elephant sufficient
food, water or shelter as most of the elephants are seen resting under bridge,
side of roads at night or other public place and even failing to provide health
care because in Maharashtra there is No Private or Animal Husbandry Veterinary
Doctor who can treat elephants. Elephants are not given sufficient exercise
too. Such walking on town’s streets for food and money cannot surly be called
“exercise”. In Maharashtra, Elephant become money making business equipment for
their owners and 2009 PAWS-Mumbai written a Suggestion letters to all the law
enforcement authority but not received any response from them. If timely action
have been taken against this private owners we have possible to see “Bijli / Ramu” and
“Roopkali / Laskhmi” alive.
Above all the
activities carried out by these owners are violating various animal welfare
laws like Section 2(7A) read with Section 2 (39) 38H,
43 and 42 of Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act 2002; Wildlife Protection Act
1972; Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Transport of Animals on Foot) Rules
2001; Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960; Performing Animals Rules, 1973
& 2001; Indian Penal Code 1860. But even after compliant to the Officers of
Forest Department not action are been take against the owners.
So, we as a citizen of India and
animal welfare / rights organisation, demand to you as a HEAD of law
enforcement authority to TOTAL BAN on Elephants (include bringing for festivals) transit into the limit of
Maharashtra State with immediate effect by implementation of the existing laws
as per our Constitution of India. It’s time we common citizen, public
representative and our future citizen student and youths should come forward to
SAVE JUMBO.
Our observation …..…
Ø The Elephants are
made to walk for long distance without adequate food and water on Tar road.
Ø The Elephants are
made to walk long distance at night time too.
Ø The Elephants cause
traffic jam while they are being taken from one place to another.
Ø The noise due to
vehicular traffic and crackers increase the stress levels of the Elephants.
Ø The Elephants do not
get proper medical treatment by their handler when they become sick or injured.
Ø Minor children are
made to sit over Elephants and beg along with these animals.
Ø It is hazardous to
make the Elephants walk in public as they may come in “Musth”, thus risking the
life and property of citizen.
Ø The handlers / owners
of the Elephants themselves are poor. Thus it is very unlikely that they would
be able to feed or taken proper care of these meg-herbivores who require
adequate food and medication to live well.
Ø The owner sells the
tail hairs as good – luck charms.
Ø It’s seen
the Forest Department have no control over private owned elephant owner.
Ø Not action
are been taken against cruel Elephant owners.
Ø Circulars
are issued but which is never implemented on ground as a result we have
witnesses the death of Elephant Bijli in Mulund.
Ø Circulars
are issue only for the limit of Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane Municipal
Corporation.
Ø Elephants
are openly using Festivals without any permission of Forest Department or
Animal Welfare Board of India.
Ø Very poor
condition of Elephants in Temples, not proper health care are been take,
exercise, food or trained handlers to look after.
Ø There is
no control over private Elephant owners by any of the laws enforcement agency
including Forest Department.
Our suggestion ……..
Ø Direct the Police,
Local Forest Staff to take appropriate penal action against the violator,
handlers or owners of these animals.
Ø Ensure that ownership
license of the handlers or owners are revoked.
Ø Constitute an
Elephant Welfare Committee (comprising of Police, Forest officials and
representative of animal welfare organizations) who would direct a team of
Elephant handlers to transfer apprehended animals to hospitals / wildlife parks
/ Elephants Camps.
Ø Expert “Mahouts” be
made to take care of these apprehended Elephants in the National Parks /
Wildlife Sanctuaries and paid for the same.
Ø Direct the Police
Commissioner and Chief Conservator of Forests to educate all their subordinates
about the laws concerning the welfare and Elephants and other animals.
Ø Make the officials
manning the various check-posts (of Police, BMC and Forest Departments) to
prevent entry of unauthorized animals into city limit.
Ø Seize the elephants
which are made to beg on the streets and transfer them to the nearest forest
(such as “Sanjay Gandhi National Parks” etc.). The mahout can be sent with
elephant and use it for patrolling, tourism etc. The mahout would be better off
in such National Parks as they would not have to walk on our tarred/ concrete
roads and also that they would be taken care of by the medical team of such
Parks.
Ø Kindly ensure that
mahout should given some sort of employment as per their expertise in the
forest or elsewhere. They could be given the job of care and welfare of such
elephants.
Ø Funding of such “elephant camp” in
National Parks should be funded by Project Elephants / Central Zoo Authority
(CZA) / State Forest Department.
Ø Elephants
such banned totally across the state of Maharashtra with immediate effect.
In the larger interest of the mute and suffering animals, we request you as a Head of law enforcement authority to take urgent steps to prevent abuse and ill-treatment of such animals. If timely action will not taken from your side in future we have to see more “Bijli / Ramu” and “Roopkali / Laskhmi” dying on streets of Maharashtra.
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For more information please call Mr. Sunish Subramanian Kunju on 0-9833480388
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