Activists demand action against Tripunithura temple authorities

KOCHI: Activists have lodged a complaint with the Chief Wildlife Warden demanding action against the Tripunithura Poornathrayeesa Temple Advisory Committee for alleged violation of restrictions on elephant parade.

According to V K Venkatachalam, secretary, Heritage Animal Task Force, the district collector had allowed the temple authorities to parade two elephants during the eight-day Vrischikotsavam festival held from November 14 to November 22. Though the temple authorities approached the Kerala High Court seeking permission to parade 15 elephants, the court upheld the collector’s order.  However, the temple authorities paraded three elephants during the festival and the assistant conservator of forests (ACF) failed to enforce the order, he said.

“Though I had lodged a complaint with the intelligence wing of the forest department, the ACF did not register an FIR,” said Venkatachalam. ACF A Jayamadhavan, while refuting this, said he has conducted an inquiry into the incident. “The collector had accorded sanction to parade elephants under the Disaster Management Act. The forest department can register an FIR only in case of violation of captive elephant rules. I  will hand over the inquiry report to the collector,” he said.