CHENNAI: In a rare gesture, the Madras high court said that it was ready to conduct an al fresco hearing even at a temple and in the presence of elephants to protect the welfare of such captive animals.
“So that the court can directly see how the elephants are being treated,” the first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice P D Audikesavalu said on Thursday. “It is also time to stop (more) elephants (from) being domesticated or taken into captivity, except in case of injury or disability, and that, too, only by forest officials in special enclosures maintained within forest areas.”
The court made the observation while hearing a plea moved by activist Rangarajan Narasimhan over the alleged ill treatment of elephants at Srirangam temple in Trichy.
According to the petitioner, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department (HR&CE) or the temples under such department’s control own sufficient land to develop large pockets of natural habitats for elephants. So that the ones in captivity may be housed at such places and taken to temples only for the performance of rituals at appropriate times, he said.
Recording the submission, the court said the principal chief conservator of forests should, in particular, take the initiative of ensuring the welfare of all captive elephants in the state.
By conducting awareness programmes or reviving the regular functioning of the district level committees and for such purpose, if necessary, the doors of the judicial academies in Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai may be opened, the court added.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/time-to-stop-taking-elephants-into-captivity-says-madras-high-court/articleshow/85089095.cms
