GURUVAYUR: The final report of the experts, who had been appointed by Animal Welfare Board of India to conduct a study on the elephants at Punnathur Kotta Elephant Sanctuary of Guruvayur Devaswom (GD) in August last year, has pointed out that there has been largescale violation of Wild Life Protection Act, Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and other rules. The two member committee comprising Dr Arun A Sha, director, Research and Veterinary Operations, Wildlife SOS and Suparna Baksi Ganguly hon. secretary and co-founder Trustee of Compassion Unlimited Plus Action has pointed out in detail all the violations that have been committed by GD. The report states that Kotta is in need of urgent overhaul.
The final report has been sent to GD administrator and State Forest and Wildlife Department. The board has made 28 recommendations. The first one is to expand the 18 acres sanctuary to 150 acres by providing 1.2 acres to each of the pachyderm. The remaining space can be used for other facilities like housing for staff, water bodies, fodder storage areas, office, dispensary, and walking paths, the report suggests.
A suggestion for retirement of elephants aged above 65 years has also been put forth.
‘Keep an Eye on Ivory’
The board has also sought strict monitoring of the trimming of ivory that is carried out at the sanctuary.
Documentation
While checking the ownership certificates (OCs) of elephant, the committee members found several anomalies. They also cast doubts on the genuineness of the OCs with GD, as the documents with details of the original owners, the ones who had captured the animal, were found missing.
Discrepancies were also found in the documents of elephant belonging to Devadas Nampoothiri, who is the head priest of the temple, during the random inspection. In November, elephant Appu died at the Sanctuary, bringing the elephant strength to 58.
Will Provide Facilities: GD
Reacting to the AWBI’s final report, Gurvayur Devaswom Managing Committee chairman T V Chandramohan said that the devasom will try its best to meet the recommendations made in the report. “We have limitations. Mainly with regard to the space available for the sanctuary. There are several other issues related to the documentations of the elephants as most of them were handed over to GD through ‘nadayiruthal’ ceremony. A year ago, we had requested the State Forest Department to provide us with the data book of all the elephants, but the department was unable to get the required documents,” he noted.
He also said that it would not be viable for the GD to implement all the recommendations by the expert committee. Meanwhile, V K Venkitachalam, secretary of Heritage Animal Task Force based in Thrissur, who had earlier submitted several complaints before the board, said that AWBI has been directed by the Supreme Court to take stringent action against those committing cruelty against animals.