(IN) Good news re CUPA's elephant Girija

[Guest guest]

" Karnataka Government , has for the first time in India - cancelled the

Ownership Certificate of a temple due to ill-treatment and brutality to its

temple elephant! "

 

Below written by Suparna Ganguly

www.cupabangalore.org

 

CUPA battled to wrest much abused elephant Girija Prasad (alias Manikantan) away

from the Aiyappa Swamy Temple in Bangalore. Pressure and litigation stared in

2004 and this went on for years to 2008 - through 3 Chief Wildlife Wardens and

many meetings with various bureaucrats and politicians including then chief

Minister Dharam Singh. His case went through many hearings in the Karnataka High

Court with CUPA's advocate team - Brindha Nandkumar and Co.

 

The male 18-year old elephant was confiscated by the Forest Dept., but his legal

status was ambiguous. CUPA partly supported him through his 4 years at various

Govt. centers, and kept a strong tab on his welfare and other parameters.

 

In February 2008, a petition was posted by CUPA in the Supreme Court in Delhi,

to define what " cruelty " is to elephants, since the High Court in Karnataka

rejected the Government's petition to convict the temple authorities on specific

cruelty to this elephant. " We watched as the govt.public petitioner

(advocate) argued the matter before an indifferent judge....! "

 

News on 13.03.08

 

However, the good news is that in a precedent setting move, the Chief Wildlife

Warden of Karnataka - Mr. I.B.Srivastava - in an order dated 13.03.08

cancelled the Owner ship Certificate dt. 25.02.02 of this elephant and took

over custody of the animal . The State Forest Department (Wildlife) has

extended all facilities pertaining and on par with other departmental

elephants.He has been observed to be grazing in the forest and having

interactions with other elephants at the Shakrebyle Elephant camp, in Shimoga

District - 8 hours away from Bangalore.

 

Karnataka Government , has for the first time in India - cancelled the

Ownership Certificate of a temple due to ill-treatment and brutality to its

temple elephant.

 

CUPA felt that many years of hardwork, research and lobbying was instrumental in

this precedent setting move by responsive and sensitised Government officials.

[Guest guest]

Congratulations to Suparna, CUPA, Brindha and Mr. Srivastava for the

wonderful work.

We have the laws - usually only the will to enforce them is lacking.

 

S. Chinny Krishna

 

 

 

aapn [aapn ] On Behalf Of

Weintraub

18 March 2008 00:08

aapn

(IN) Good news re CUPA's elephant " Girija "

 

" Karnataka Government , has for the first time in India - cancelled the

Ownership Certificate of a temple due to ill-treatment and brutality to

its temple elephant! "

 

Below written by Suparna Ganguly

www.cupabangalore.org

 

CUPA battled to wrest much abused elephant Girija Prasad (alias

Manikantan) away from the Aiyappa Swamy Temple in Bangalore. Pressure

and litigation stared in 2004 and this went on for years to 2008 -

through 3 Chief Wildlife Wardens and many meetings with various

bureaucrats and politicians including then chief Minister Dharam Singh.

His case went through many hearings in the Karnataka High Court with

CUPA's advocate team - Brindha Nandkumar and Co.

 

The male 18-year old elephant was confiscated by the Forest Dept., but

his legal status was ambiguous. CUPA partly supported him through his 4

years at various Govt. centers, and kept a strong tab on his welfare and

other parameters.

 

In February 2008, a petition was posted by CUPA in the Supreme Court in

Delhi, to define what " cruelty " is to elephants, since the High Court in

Karnataka rejected the Government's petition to convict the temple

authorities on specific cruelty to this elephant. " We watched as the

govt.public petitioner (advocate) argued the matter before an

indifferent judge....! "

 

News on 13.03.08

 

However, the good news is that in a precedent setting move, the Chief

Wildlife Warden of Karnataka - Mr. I.B.Srivastava - in an order dated

13.03.08 cancelled the Owner ship Certificate dt. 25.02.02 of this

elephant and took over custody of the animal . The State Forest

Department (Wildlife) has extended all facilities pertaining and on par

with other departmental elephants.He has been observed to be grazing in

the forest and having interactions with other elephants at the

Shakrebyle Elephant camp, in Shimoga District - 8 hours away from

Bangalore.

 

Karnataka Government , has for the first time in India - cancelled the

Ownership Certificate of a temple due to ill-treatment and brutality to

its temple elephant.

 

CUPA felt that many years of hardwork, research and lobbying was

instrumental in this precedent setting move by responsive and sensitised

Government officials.