‘No religion mandates use of elephants in festivals’: Kerala High Court wants curbs on tuskers at festivals, Pooram officials upset

The tribunal raised concerns, considering that astir 33 per cent of captive elephants successful the authorities person died successful the past 7 years.

In proceedings initiated suo motu connected “matters pertaining to inaction of the authorities successful extortion of carnal rights”, a Division Bench of Justices A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and P Gopinath connected Thursday said the authorities should strictly instrumentality the Kerala Captive Elephants (Management and Maintenance) Rules, 2012 and comply with the Supreme Court’s determination successful the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre case.

According to the guidelines issued by the court, elephants indispensable get a remainder period, which volition not beryllium little than 3 days, betwixt 2 exhibitions; the impermanent tethering installation for elephants should beryllium cleanable and spacious; determination should beryllium capable abstraction for accumulation oregon parading of elephants; the fig of elephants paraded should beryllium decided based connected the disposable space; elephants should not beryllium paraded connected nationalist roads during time time; and their parading should not past for much than 3 hours astatine a time.

The tribunal said that portion the extended usage of captive elephants successful spiritual festivals successful Kerala is often sought to beryllium justified connected the ground of contented and spiritual practice, “we bash not judge that determination is immoderate indispensable spiritual signifier of immoderate religion that mandates the usage of elephants successful festivals. We bash not, however, suggest to accidental thing much astatine this signifier since our absorption present is simply to modulate the signifier of parading elephants during festivals.”

Reacting to the tribunal directive, Girish Kumar, the caput of the Thiruvambadi temple committee that organises Thrissur Pooram, said connected Friday: “If we travel the restrictions, Pooram volition person to beryllium shifted to a immense crushed oregon paddy field. The absorption that a peculiar magnitude of abstraction (eight metres) should beryllium near betwixt 2 elephants is meant to destruct madathil varavu and elanjithara melam (major attractions of the festival involving elephants). Certain NGOs are retired to destruct festivals.”

Kerala Forest Minister A K Saseendran said the authorities would analyse the tribunal guidelines and determination an entreaty if required. “Steps volition beryllium taken for the creaseless behaviour of Pooram and different festivals successful the accepted manner,” helium said.