Mysuru: Even as 15 Dasara elephants are being prepped up for the grand finale with sumptuous butter-and-fruit-laced food, body massages and rigorous training at the sprawling Mysore Palace and outside, a set of five female elephants, also inside the Palace, are not that fortunate to be the cynosure of all eyes.

Reason: An administrative approval from the Forest Department to shift at least three of them back to forests is caught in files, red tape and lack of attention by the official machinery. Also, the Department that had agreed to shift three elephants earlier wants its maintenance to be taken care of.

The elephants were rescued from Gemini Circus about 20 years ago following a court order. They are now being used for “elephant safari” inside the Palace with not much of activities. They are often tied in one place and are working like back-room professionals ferrying the cheering tourists from one place to another in Palace campus.

It may be recalled here that animal rights activists had petitioned the court where they claimed that the elephants were being tortured at the circus in the name of entertainment. The court had ordered the Forest Department to take over the elephants – Ruby, Rajeshwari, Gemini, Chanchala and Seetha.

WADIYAR’S GESTURE

Following the court order, late Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar had volunteered to take care of the elephants and accordingly, they were sent to Palace.

In her request in February this year, Pramoda Devi Wadiyar had asked the then Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) V. Karikalan to take back three elephants. The Officer had suggested Pramoda Devi to write to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and accordingly, she sent a letter on March 5.

She again wrote to the PCCF on March 9 changing the name of one of the elephants mentioned in the earlier letter. She has stated that the Palace will take care of Chanchala, Preethi and Seetha and they will be utilised for the “elephant safari.”

MAINTENANCE FACTOR

Following Pramoda Devi’s request, the PCCF had directed the Department veterinarian Dr. D.N. Nagaraj to certify the health of elephants. In his report, Dr. Nagaraj had stated that the elephants were healthy and could be taken over by the Department and shifted to elephant camps. The report was submitted to the PCCF in March this year. Despite this, files have not moved and all the five elephants remain in the Palace.

Following Dr. Nagaraj’s report, the Forest Department wrote another letter to Pramoda Devi saying that they would take back the elephants provided the Palace authorities financed their maintenance. The Department letter said that there is no provision for them to take back the elephants but special consideration can be extended if the maintenance is funded.

Sources told Star of Mysore that the Palace authorities have felt that instead of giving money to the Forest Department, they (Palace) can maintain the elephants themselves.  

EXPENSIVE AFFAIR

According to DCF, Mysore Circle (Wildlife) V. Yedukondalu, it takes anywhere between Rs. 7 lakh and Rs. 8 lakh to maintain an elephant every month. The salary of Mahouts and Kavadis is Rs. 40,000 per month and it amounts to Rs. 2,40,000 per month. Plus there are other requirements like food, medication and overall health.

“The issue has come to my notice after I took over as DCF three months back and I have prepared a report explaining the condition of the elephants, their activities, their health condition, lack of exercise and strenuous work, reproductive health and mating options and I have sent to the PCCF’s Office in Bengaluru. We will take action on this after Dasara,” he said.

Animal rights activists concerned about captivity

The animal rights activists, however, are not happy with the elephants being caught in bureaucratic tangle. Speaking to SOM, an animal rights activist from New Delhi said that the activists are concerned about the captivity and treatment meted out to them. “The earlier scion of the Royal family Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar was a good human being and had concern for animals. We do not know about the situation now,” the activist said.

“Even if the Forest Department takes back three elephants, there is no guarantee that they will not overload the elephants with forest-related work. The situation should not be like ‘from the circus torture the elephants go straight to the forest for another round of exploitation.’ We need to tread a cautious path here,” the activist cautioned.