Elephants made to travel 1,400 kms for Kerala festival in Dombivili’

Virat A Singh

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Posted On Saturday, October 20, 2012 at 05:03:45 AM

Animal rights activists have written to the state forest department, the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), and Maneka Gandhi, objecting to the use of elephants at Pooram festival in Dombivili. The festival - known as Mumbai Pooram - is an attempt to replicate Kerala’s famous Thrissur Pooram, and is scheduled from November 9 to 11. In its second year in Dombivili, the festival’s high point is the procession of the gold caparisoned elephants, which are brought all the way from Thrissur, almost 1,400 kms away. Sunish Kunju, secretary of PAWS, said: “We have learnt that at least seven elephants will be brought to Dombivili from Kerala, and will be made to perform amidst bursting of firecrackers and loud music. The journey itself, covering more than 1,000 kms, will be traumatic to the animals.” The activists have initiated a campaign - Save Jumbo - and urged people to send SMSes and emails to the forest department to ensure the animals are not allowed at the festival. PAWS members said as per the Wildlife Protection Act, a person/group requires written permission from the Chief Wildlife Warden to keep elephant in custody. Besides, the involvement of elephants in such festivals violates the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, which prohibits training or exhibiting a performing animal unless the animal has been registered with the necessary authority, PAWS said. The Animal Welfare Board of India vicechairman, Dr S Chinny Krishna, said: “Permissions have to be sought from AWBI to use animals for performance. We have requested the forest department officials to not allow elephants at the festival, as it amounts to cruelty.” Festival coordinator, Girish Nair, said every guideline is followed while transporting elephants. “We have also located spots where elephants are given adequate rest every 125 kms into the journey. There is a special medical van, veterinary physicians and truckloads of food and water ,” he said. “We take extra care to ensure animals are comfortable during the journey,” Nair said, “It takes around two day to reach Mumbai from Kerala, but the elephants are transported over eight days to ensure they are not traumatised.”