Recently, four captive elephants died in Hathi Gaon (Elephant Village) in Jaipur’s Amer locality. While the Press went gaga over the issue alleging that the elephants perished due to negligence and lack of adequate care during the lockdown. There are many questions been raised on authorities concerned and the forest department too as two elephants out of four had tested positive for TB in the year 2018.
These two elephants in question are (numbers 99 and 64 – Rani and Chanchal, respectively).
These elephants, testing TB positive in 2018, declared TB free in 3-5 months
Surprisingly, these elephants were declared TB-free by the Rajasthan Forest Department within 3-5 months, while actually it takes at least 6-12 months intensive treatment for any elephant to recover from TB. These facts are alarming! Neither the Forest and the Animal Husbandry Department, nor the owners are taking responsibility for these deaths.
They are owned privately flouting the schedule 1 status of Wildlife Protection Act
These elephants continue to be privately owned by elephant owners living in same village meant for elephants, despite the Schedule 1 status in the Wildlife Protection Act which clearly mentions of giving the rigorous protection to the endangered species and defines the harshest penalties for violation of the law under this Schedule. It says that absolute protection is accorded to species on this list.
A digital protest on October 1
Now, Help in Suffering and Angel Eyes have decided to lead a campaign to protest against callous treatment to animals by authorities. A national Digital Protest will be staged on October 1 in this context. The activists will be staging protests and candle light vigil-marches.
It is to demand: a habitat fit for Elephants, immediate sufficient food and clean drinking water to animals; quality veterinary care including TB tests to be done, and ample exercise provisions to be made. Also the sick and old elephants should be rehabilitated. They should retire and be allowed a life of dignity. They want no new elephants should be allowed to enter into Jaipur.