THRISSUR: Heritage Animal Task Force secretary V K Venkitachalam, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi drawing his attention to the ordeal endured by Thiruvambadi Unnikrishnan, the ailing elephant owned by Thiruvambadi Devaswom.
According to Venkitachalam, it was strange that a temple, which had the resources to submit a 398 sovereign(3.18 kg) gold replica of Lord Krishna did not have the wherewithal to build a shelter for the jumbo. Images of Thiruvambadi Unnikrishnan being tethered in unhygienic surroundings were also enclosed with the missive sent to the PM. Since suffering a blackout inside the temple premises six days ago, the jumbo has been tethered in a run- down hospital complex. It was pointed out in the letter that
Thiruvambadi Devaswom had merely erected a makeshift plastic tent to shield the ailing animal from the elements.
“The elephant is forced to remain on its feet 24 x7 on a hard surface made of interlocked tiles. The animal suffers from Foot Disease and has holes on its soles.This type of tethering is quite unlawful,” the letter said.
It was also pointed out in the missive that Thiruvambadi Devaswom had on 18th August 2015 submitted before a Supreme Court Division Bench that they would indeed comply with all the provisions of the Kerala Captive Elephant (Management and Maintenance) Rule 2012.
“ However, Thiruvambady Devaswom had violated its undertaking by tethering the ailing elephant in unhygienic circumstances without providing a robust shelter having corrugated iron sheets or asbestos roof.”
“Kerala Captive Elephant (Management and Maintenance) Rule 2012 specifically states that elephants must be kept in a shelter having roof made of corrugated iron sheets or asbestos.
Also, the roofing of elephant stables shall be covered with gunny bags or grass to provide cooling to the captive animals. Besides, the compound of dilapidated Daya Medical Centre has no drinking water facility or running water for the animal to cool off, “ Venkitachalam said.
It was two weeks ago that Thiruvambadi Devaswom submitted the gold replica. “The same Devaswom did not take any steps to construct a statutory shelter shed for the ailing elephant mainly due to the fact that the Forest Department remained a mute spectator to this wild life crime,” Venkitachalam alleges.
“The elephant cannot move its legs from the elephant dung because its back leg is tethered to an iron pillar by using a chain less than two metre-long. This type of constant contact of hind legs with elephant dung is the main cause of infection near the lower portion of its hind legs. The mahouts have spread leaves around its front legs in so as to mask the infected lower portion from public eye,” he said.