Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department reply sought on treatment of Srirangam temple jumbo

When a PIL moved by activist Radha Rajan pertaining to protection of elephants and cows donated to temples came up, the first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan ongo- ing through the video produced by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) of the elephant being forced to dance, directed HR&CE to come out clean on the activities for which the elephant at Srirangam is used for and the steps that need to be taken to ensure that it is not made to do ‘undesirable activities’. 

Also, the bench on perusing the AWBI inspection report on the status of another elephant Gomathi recouping at Sri Mahalingaswami Temple in Kumbokonam, said “The temple, as submitted by the counsel, is lacking funds. The question thus, would be of removal and maintenance of the elephant. We have perused the report filed by AWBI. The Photographs and the report suggests that elephant Gomathi must be shifted from the temple.” 

Similarly, the bench while dealing with the care of another elephant Maduravalli, directed it to be shifted to the care and custody of the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre, Bengaluru. The bench came about this direction on finding that while the Tamil Nadu Forest Department had sought for Rs. 35.98 Lakh per year to take care of Maduravalli, the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre, Bengaluru, was willing to do it for just Rs.8.40 Lakh per year at the rate of Rs. 70,000 per month. The bench in its order also directed the maintenance amount apart from transportation costs be paid by either the HR&CE Department or the Forest Department as may be decided between them. 

However, with more time being sought for insertion of chip scanners on captive elephants and formation of District level captive Welfare Committee’s, the bench on granting a month posted the case for further hearing to November 18.