Gauhati HC notice to Centre, Assam over jumbo transfer to Gujarat

GUWAHATI: The Gauhati high court on Monday sought clarifications from both central and state governments over the state's decision to send four elephants from Tinsukia to Ahmedabad for the annual rath yatra festival to be held on July 4.
The HC was hearing a PIL filed by animal activists challenging the government’s decision to force the four elephants on an arduous train journey to Gujarat.
The court sought the clarifications in the light of a Supreme Court order in which it had directed that any person in possession of elephants shall not transfer the animals outside the state nor shall they part with the elephants by way of transfer in any manner.
Senior counsel Bhaskar Dev Konwar, appearing for the petitioner, said, “The high court similarly also sought for clarification from the Assam government whether it’s aware of the apex court’s order and whether the chief wildlife warden, Assam has taken note of the interim order while passing the order for transporting the elephants.”
“The railway has produced an instruction from the authorities wherein a view has been taken that the SC interim order is in operation and therefore clarification was sought from the state’s forest department,” Konwar added.
He also drew the attention of the court to the adverse climatic conditions in Gujarat the elephants will have to face and the gruelling train journey. He also submitted before the court that unlike states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Assam was yet to frame rules for management and maintenance of captive elephants in terms of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
In an additional affidavit, the petitioners said the Jagannath temple in Ahmedabad reportedly has a poor record in elephant management. Also, none of the elephants sent outside has been returned to date.
As per government decision, the four jumbos would be given to the temple authority on lease for six months up to December 12, 2019, and after that, they will be brought back with a valid transit pass issued by the appropriate authority.
However, the hearing remained inconclusive on Monday and is slated to resume on Tuesday.