Govt. to tighten rules for protection of elephants

6 May, 2008

(Editor’s note : Please note the pussyfooting around the precious temples and festivals; clearly the elephants are just for decorative purposes and why should they be the playthings of these temples and festivals? – NG)

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Govt. to tighten rules for protection of elephants

The Pioneer, 06 May 2008

The Government is considering strict enforcement of elephant protection rules to avoid tragedies like the one that took place at the Koodalmanikyam temple, Irinjalakkuda during the annual festival there on April 23 in which three persons lost lives. The Forest Department might take a firm stand on the matter from the festival season next year.

The new thinking in the Forest Department has come in the context of the tragedy and the controversies over moving the elephant, Poabs Unnikrishnan, the villain of the Koodalmanikyam tragedy, to the owner's place in Thiruvalla. The elephant is presently stranded at the courtyard
of the Unnayi Warrier Kalanilayam near the Koodalmanikyam temple in Irinjalakkuda.

Officials in the Forest Department say that the Elephant Owners' Federation, which allege that the Government is causing problems with the rules, is not able to provide satisfactory justification for the several instances of elephants running amok.

"There have been several elephant-created problems in the past one year in Kerala, especially in Thrissur district. We are sure that strict implementation of rules for protection of elephants can ensure some safety. But the federation would then say that the Government is trying to unsettle temple festivals. Such a policy on their part cannot be of any help," said an official.

The official said that no probe would ever be able to bring out the whole truth about any tragedy involving elephants, especially at temples. The reason was that the committees in charge of temple affairs and festivals would normally not come out with real facts for fear that such depositions would affect the future conduct of festivals. "We are not against festivals. But this is a matter of safety of human beings and, of course, of the elephants. Who is going to explain the loss of three lives at Irinjalakkuda?" asked the official.

Elephant-lovers in Thrissur city say they are not ready to believe the police version that the elephant had run amok after someone touched its tusk. Though this could irritate an elephant, there is no way to ascertain whether the temple and festival committees had ensures strict
adherence to the rules while using the elephants for the festival.

"We have always seen an eagerness on the part of festival committees to find fault with the Forest Department and the courts in such matters. Whenever some rules are fixed, the committees would run to the court with petitions. The authorities cannot in any way be strict on such matters as they involve religious sentiments," said an elephant-lover.