31
December 2013 | Maharashtra CM House - Varsha, Malabar Hill, Mumbai
MISSION 2014 ! Let make cruelty
free Maharashtra for ELEPHNAT. PAWS-Mumbai Team under the leadership of Chief
Patron Abhijeet Rane and Founder Sunish Subramanian Kunju meets Maharashtra
Chief Minister Shri Prithviraj Chavan to demand Total Banning of Elephants in
Maharashtra which are been used for begging and owned by Private Owners.
MISSION 2014 ! Let make cruelty
free Maharashtra for ELEPHNAT
SAVE JUMBO an citizen movement
initiated by Plant & Animals Welfare Society - Mumbai (PAWS-Mumbai) to
fight for the justice of elephants in Maharashtra which is owned by private
people who officially received ownership certificate from forest department.
WE seen Elephants CRYING
WE seen Elephants without PROPER
DIETWE seen Elephants injured using for BEGGING & JOYRIDE
We seen Elephants exploited under the name of newly arising FESTIVAL
WE seen Elephants sleeping on ROAD SIDE & UNDER BRIDGE
WE seen Elephants fighting for SURVIVAL
We seen Elephants DYING ON STREETS
So we animal lovers and citizen
demand to the Laws Enforcement Authority to implementation of Existing Wildlife
& Animal Protection Laws strictly to BAN Elephant by CANCELING the
ownership of the private owners who exploit poor voiceless animal.
Elephants who are been illegally
or legally brought out from natural habitat of forests they are separated from
their parents in very small age. Later they are been used for begging on
streets, performing in circus or kept in Zoos for amusement, elephant festivals.
As per the law the Indian
elephant is listed at S. No. 12-B in Schedule–1 of The Wildlife (Protection)
Amendment Act 2002 and we Indian consider the elephant as a GOD, then who we
can tolerate such cruelty on Elephants.
WE request MAHARASHTRA Governor,
Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, State Forest Minister, Principal
Secretary Forest and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests to please open your
EYES and REACT in the interest of Mute and voiceless.
Please have a look at SAVE JUMBO
Blog www.savejumbo.blogspot.com and Facebook campaign page
www.facebook.com/savejumbo
OPEN LETTER from Sunish
Subramanian Kunju : Plant & Animals Welfare Society – Mumbai |
pawsmumbai@gmail.com . call9833480388@gmail.com | +91 9833480388 | www.pawsmumbai.org
LETTER TO MAHARASHTRA CM
To,
Shri. Prithviraj Chavan Ji
Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra
Government of Maharashtra
Subject : NEED to set-up guideline to STOP 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 …..…
Subject : NEED to set-up guideline to STOP 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.
Our suggestion …….
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.
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.
PAWS-Mumbai
SAVE JUMBO citizen campaign supported by MP’s, MLA’s, MLC’s, Municipal
Councilor’s, NGO’s, Publication House’s and Animal Lover’s across the state
demanding total banning of Elephants begging and other commercial by immediate effect by implementation of Existing
Animal Welfare Laws as per our Constitution of India.
Sunish Subramanian Kunju
Founder & Secretary :
PAWS-Mumbai
Hony. Animal Welfare Officer :
AWBI
Editor : Plant & Animal Voice
Please visit
www.savejumbo.blogspot.com or community page
www.facebook.com/savejumbo for online copy of more
documents and photographs related to elephants issue in Maharashtra State.
More Photographs
Nisha Subramanian Kunju
PRO - Cum - Administrator
