A team of animal welfare experts, authorised by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), was not allowed to inspect the elephants which are to be paraded during the Thrissur Pooram festival, the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has alleged.
According to the High Court order dated April, 14, 2016, ‘No elephant found unfit to participate in the ceremonial parade shall be utilised and the District Magistrate will ensure that use of any such animal is clearly excluded.’ However, PETA alleged that an inspection team authorised by the AWBI was not allowed to inspect the elephants. When the team members reached the venue to inspect the elephants on Saturday, they were denied permission by the district administration, it said. The inspection team included animal welfare experts and veterinarians from reputed animal welfare organisations, it added. “The non-cooperation of the Kerala government and its failure to act against those who break animal-protection laws demonstrates that the only way to protect captive elephants is to ban their use. They have to be released to sanctuaries,” says PETA India Director of Veterinary Affairs and Kerala State Animal Welfare Board Member Manilal Valliyate.
‘A sham’
It is suspected that the fitness-check being facilitated by the district administration, with the help of Forest Department and veterinarians from the Animal Husbandry Department, is a sham, PETA alleged. “There is a conspiracy to use illegal elephants, which do not have a valid ownership certificate – as mandated by Section 42 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 or fitness certificate. It’s a contempt of the High Court.”
Last month, PETA India had issued a legal notice to the State government calling for a halt to the government order issued on February 26, which gives Kerala’s Chief Wildlife Warden an opportunity to allow people to declare 289 captive elephants in the State, who are apparently under illegal custody and to issue them with an ownership certificate.
PETA India argues that this contradicts the spirit of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which prohibits the illegal capture, trade and custody of wild animals such as elephants, and the purpose of the interim order of the Supreme Court of India dated August 18, 2015.
