(IN): Suparna Ganguly blasts Indian authorities on captive elephant dirty politics

[Guest guest]

Dear all,

 

One of India's senior most leader in animal rights has taken on the Indian

authorities including the Prime Minister and written strong letters

condemning the atrocities that are being meted out to the captive wild

elephants of India.

 

I pray her message helps the jumbos in distress.

 

Also I would request all of our members on AAPN and other forums to join in

and shoot out similar SOS to the email addresses of the authorities below.

Those in India please use the registered post option to write letters along

with emails.

 

Thanks,

 

Azam Siddiqui

 

---------- Forwarded message ----------

Suparna Ganguly <suparnaganguly

Thu, Oct 29, 2009 at 11:14 PM

Fwd: Banning the use of captive elephants (Schedule 1 WLPA) in sports

etc.

To:

 

---------- Forwarded message ----------

W.R.R.C W.R.R.C <wrrcbrc

2009/10/29

Banning the use of captive elephants (Schedule 1 WLPA) in sports

etc.

manmohan

Cc: jairam, cabinetsy, secy,

gajendra, anjani.moef, rmkawbi,

rissalapolo

 

*383/WRRC/*ELE.CR/10/2009 <http://ele.cr/10/2009>

 

October 25, 2009

 

Shri Manmohan Singh

Hon'ble Prime Minister &

Chairman, National Board of Wildlife

7, Race Course Road

New Delhi – 110 011

 

Hon’ble Prime Minister,

 

Sub: Banning the use of captive elephants (Schedule 1 WLPA) in sports/

entertainment / processions/ weddings / functions and other commercial

purposes

 

We were shocked to learn that 12 captive elephants from Jaipur were allowed

to play in a polo match organized at the Classic Golf Resort at Manesar,

Gurgaon, on Saturday,October 10, 2009 (BCCL / Ranjit Kumar) in direct

contravention of the Orders of the Hon’ble High Court of Rajasthan. (

article enclo.)

 

We are writing to you on behalf of members and supporters for the cause of

wildlife and importantly, captive elephant welfare. We represent two NGOs,

viz. CUPA – Compassion Unlimited Plus Action and WRRC – Wildlife Rescue &

Rehabilitation Centre based in Bangalore who have studied the situation of

captive elephants in India since 2005. The publication of our books and

technical reports on the above are changing perceptions regarding their

status.

In 2004-05, your kind intervention and decisive move in stopping the

transfer of a baby elephant, Veda to an unsuitable zoo in Armenia as a

government gift, saved many elephants from such distressing fate.

 

Sir, as you may be aware, the tragic history of tourist elephants of

Rajasthan is a story of misuse, abuse and ignorance at the hands of private

parties. The permissions given, if at all, are totally against the Wildlife

Protection Act of India, and against all laws of natural justice and

fairness to a helpless, wild animal that has been afforded the highest

protection as a Schedule 1 animal.

 

As per guidelines issued by the Project Elephant Directorate, MoEF, New

Delhi – “the Asian elephant has been accorded highest protection by listing

them in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, Ministry is quite

concerned about its protection, care and management.”

As per Rule 2 - Guidelines for care and management of captive elephants

issued by the Ministry of Environment & Forests , Project Elephant , No

9-5/2003-PE dated 8-1-08 To The CWLW (All States/ UTs)

Sub - 2.Illegal elephants i.e. those which have not been declared under the

declaration of the Wild life Stock Rules 2003 or are found without valid

documents will be confiscated.

It may be noted that AWBI secretary Mr. D. Rajasekar IFS, in a letter dated

2nd March 2009 has cautioned the Chief Secretary, Government of Rajasthan on

the specific violations with regards to the Performing Animals

(Registration) Rules, 2001 under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act,

1960.

 

In view of the amendment to WLP Act in 2003, it is mandatory to obtain the

permission of the Chief Wildlife Warden in writing under Section 40 (2) and

Section 42 of the WLPA to possess an elephant subject to the person having

adequate facilities and infrastructure for maintaining an elephant. The

Declaration of Stock Rules, 2003 makes it mandatory for all persons

possessing elephants to declare the elephants and obtain fresh ownership

certificate and under Rule 12, any captive animal in respect of which

ownership certificate has not been granted or obtained shall be treated as

government property. In the above case in Rajasthan it is doubtful if the

persons alleging to be owners have the valid ownership certificates and

hence it is necessary to ascertain if the persons possessing the elephants

fulfill the above provisions of WLPA.

 

Elephants in captivity undergo terrible abuse at the hands of private owners

and institutions, being exploited as commercial commodities in functions and

festivals and the same is in violation of the spirit of Section 43 of WLPA

and the WLPA provisions which ban trade and commercial transactions.

 

Thus there is tremendous cruelty and torture to elephants, which is in

violation of Article 51 (A) (g) of the Indian Constitution which call upon

all citizens to have compassion for living creatures and Section 11 and

other provisions of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960

which prohibits the infliction of unnecessary pain and suffering on all

animals . Articles 48-A of the Indian Constitution calls upon the State to

protect and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country. It is

also relevant to mention that due to abuse of elephants, there has been an

increase in the number of unnatural deaths of mahouts and elephants.

 

The use of elephants in public also poses a very big risk to the lives and

safety of the public. In the above case, the Jaipur elephants have also

exhibited traits of violent behavior due to the harshness and ill-treatment

meted out to it by its “owners”. Therefore exhibiting these animals to the

rigors of a game like polo is against public safety and in violation of 289

of the Indian Penal Code pertaining to negligent conduct with respect to an

animal.

 

There is a specific ban on the use of lions, tigers, bears, panthers and

monkeys as performing animals vide central government notification dated

14th October 1998 . It is very necessary that similar ban be imposed on

elephants.

 

The office of the Chief Conservator of Forests Thane Maharashtra has

issued a circular dated 24-07-2007 prohibiting elephants in the city of

Mumbai Municipal Corporation on grounds of violation of wildlife laws. The

office of the Chief Conservator of Forests Guwahati Assam has issued a

circular dated 18-08-2007 directing DFOs to take action those using

elephants for begging and other performances on grounds of violation of The

Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act,

1960

 

In view of the above, it is very shocking that these elephants have been

permitted to be used as entertainment props and hence and there is an urgent

need for similar bans to be issued on the use of elephants as performing

animals and for commercial purposes in all States of the country.

 

We kindly appeal for your intervention in the above matter and request

for a ban on the use of elephants in polo or in any other sports

activities / entertainment / performances/ begging or any other activity

that cause pain and suffering to the elephants.

 

Thanking you,

 

Yours sincerely,

Suparna Baksi-Ganguly

Trustee, WRRC

 

 

cc: Shri Jairam Ramesh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the

Ministry of Environment and Forests

jairam

 

Sri K. M. Chandrasekhar, Union Cabinet Secretary, Rashtrapati Bhavan, New

Delhi 110 004

cabinetsy

 

Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Forests, Paryavaran Bhawan, CGO

Complex, Lodi Road, New Delhi - 110 003 <secy

 

Shri A.N. Prasad I.F.S - Inspector General of Forests & Director, Project

Elephant, Ministry of Environment & Forests, Paryavaran Bhavan, CGO Complex,

Lodi Road, New Delhi-110003 gajendra

 

Dr. Anjani Kumar, Director, 8th Floor, Jeewan Prakash Building, 25, K.G.

Marg, New Delhi-110001

anjani.moef

 

Chief Wildlife Warden, Government of Rajasthan, Van Bhavan, Vaniki Path,

Jaipur 302 005.

 

Conservator of Forests & CWW, Govt. of Delhi, Kamala Nehru Ridge,

Delhi-110007

 

Chairman, Animal Welfare Board of India, 13/1, Third Seaward Road, Valmiki

Nagar, Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai-600 041 rmkawbi

 

Rissala Polo Club, C/o Classic Golf Resort, Gurgaon, India, Ph:

+91-9810339697

rissalapolo

 

 

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive & Sou\

rce=Page & Skin=TOINEW & BaseHref=CAP/2009/10/09 & PageLabel=34 & EntityId=Ar03402 & ViewM\

ode=HTML & GZ=T

 

Times of India, 10.10.09

Haathi ka chukker

PIYALI DASGUPTA

 

The polo season has started and after a gap of two years, the city is all

set to witness an exclusive exhibition polo match tomorrow. But this time,

the players will not be playing horse polo but elephant polo instead. And

the match will include prominent players like Angad and Uday Kalaan, Samir

Suhag, Dhruv Godhara and so on.

 

Informs Samir, “Elephant polo is not very common in India. It’s also far

slower than horse polo. The elephants are trained in Jaipur and will be

brought down to the city for this exhibition match.” Baljinder Dhillon, CEO,

Rissala Polo elaborates, “While the equipment consists of a standard polo

ball and six to nine foot cane (similar to bamboo) sticks with a polo mallet

head at one end, the pitch is three-quarters of the length of a standard

polo pitch, because elephants are slower. Two people ride each elephant; the

elephants are steered by mahouts, while the player tells the mahout which

way to go and also hit the ball. A top actor and a cricketer have confirmed

their presence at the event, but we can’t divulge their names right now.”

 

--

http://www.stopelephantpolo.com

http://www.freewebs.com/azamsiddiqui

[Guest guest]

Dear Azam,

CUPA apart from protesting elephant polo, also made a

genuine effort to oppose the Indo Japanese elephant exchange. Mrs Ganguly

helps in whatever way she can for elephant welfare issues and we have every

reason to be grateful for her support. I have already congratulated her for

writing this letter, I am sure their voice will be heard. They are also

doing good wildlife rescue work. Thank you also for posting the wildlife

crime tracking story that I have passed onto my colleagues at TRAFFIC.

Please feel free to call if anything merits further parley.

Regards,

 

 

 

On 10/30/09, azam24x7 <azam24x7 wrote:

>

> Dear all,

>

> One of India's senior most leader in animal rights has taken on the Indian

> authorities including the Prime Minister and writte strong letters

> condemning the attocities that are being meted out to the captive wild

> elephants of India.

>

> I pray her message helps the jumbos in disterss.

>

> Also I would request all of our members on AAPN and other forums to join in

> and shoot out similar SOS to the email addresses of the authorities below.

> Those in India please use the registered post option to write letters along

> with emails.

>

> Thanks,

>

> Azam Siddiqui

>

>

> ---------- Forwarded message ----------

> Suparna Ganguly <suparnaganguly

> Thu, Oct 29, 2009 at 11:14 PM

> Fwd: Banning the use of captive elephants (Schedule 1 WLPA) in

> sports etc.

> To:

>

>

>

>

> ---------- Forwarded message ----------

> W.R.R.C W.R.R.C <wrrcbrc

> 2009/10/29

> Banning the use of captive elephants (Schedule 1 WLPA) in sports

> etc.

> manmohan

> Cc: jairam, cabinetsy, secy,

> gajendra, anjani.moef, rmkawbi,

> rissalapolo

>

>

> *383/WRRC/*ELE.CR/10/2009 <http://ele.cr/10/2009>

>

> October 25, 2009

>

> Shri Manmohan Singh

> Hon'ble Prime Minister &

> Chairman, National Board of Wildlife

> 7, Race Course Road

> New Delhi – 110 011

>

> Hon’ble Prime Minister,

>

> Sub: Banning the use of captive elephants (Schedule 1 WLPA) in sports/

> entertainment / processions/ weddings / functions and other commercial

> purposes

>

> We were shocked to learn that 12 captive elephants from Jaipur were allowed

> to play in a polo match organized at the Classic Golf Resort at Manesar,

> Gurgaon, on Saturday,October 10, 2009 (BCCL / Ranjit Kumar) in direct

> contravention of the Orders of the Hon’ble High Court of Rajasthan. (

> article enclo.)

>

> We are writing to you on behalf of members and supporters for the cause of

> wildlife and importantly, captive elephant welfare. We represent two NGOs,

> viz. CUPA – Compassion Unlimited Plus Action and WRRC – Wildlife Rescue &

> Rehabilitation Centre based in Bangalore who have studied the situation of

> captive elephants in India since 2005. The publication of our books and

> technical reports on the above are changing perceptions regarding their

> status.

> In 2004-05, your kind intervention and decisive move in stopping the

> transfer of a baby elephant, Veda to an unsuitable zoo in Armenia as a

> government gift, saved many elephants from such distressing fate.

>

> Sir, as you may be aware, the tragic history of tourist elephants of

> Rajasthan is a story of misuse, abuse and ignorance at the hands of private

> parties. The permissions given, if at all, are totally against the Wildlife

> Protection Act of India, and against all laws of natural justice and

> fairness to a helpless, wild animal that has been afforded the highest

> protection as a Schedule 1 animal.

>

> As per guidelines issued by the Project Elephant Directorate, MoEF, New

> Delhi – “the Asian elephant has been accorded highest protection by listing

> them in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, Ministry is quite

> concerned about its protection, care and management.”

> As per Rule 2 - Guidelines for care and management of captive elephants

> issued by the Ministry of Environment & Forests , Project Elephant , No

> 9-5/2003-PE dated 8-1-08 To The CWLW (All States/ UTs)

> Sub - 2.Illegal elephants i.e. those which have not been declared under the

> declaration of the Wild life Stock Rules 2003 or are found without valid

> documents will be confiscated.

> It may be noted that AWBI secretary Mr. D. Rajasekar IFS, in a letter dated

> 2nd March 2009 has cautioned the Chief Secretary, Government of Rajasthan on

> the specific violations with regards to the Performing Animals

> (Registration) Rules, 2001 under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act,

> 1960.

>

> In view of the amendment to WLP Act in 2003, it is mandatory to obtain the

> permission of the Chief Wildlife Warden in writing under Section 40 (2) and

> Section 42 of the WLPA to possess an elephant subject to the person having

> adequate facilities and infrastructure for maintaining an elephant. The

> Declaration of Stock Rules, 2003 makes it mandatory for all persons

> possessing elephants to declare the elephants and obtain fresh ownership

> certificate and under Rule 12, any captive animal in respect of which

> ownership certificate has not been granted or obtained shall be treated as

> government property. In the above case in Rajasthan it is doubtful if the

> persons alleging to be owners have the valid ownership certificates and

> hence it is necessary to ascertain if the persons possessing the elephants

> fulfill the above provisions of WLPA.

>

> Elephants in captivity undergo terrible abuse at the hands of private

> owners and institutions, being exploited as commercial commodities in

> functions and festivals and the same is in violation of the spirit of

> Section 43 of WLPA and the WLPA provisions which ban trade and commercial

> transactions.

>

> Thus there is tremendous cruelty and torture to elephants, which is in

> violation of Article 51 (A) (g) of the Indian Constitution which call upon

> all citizens to have compassion for living creatures and Section 11 and

> other provisions of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960

> which prohibits the infliction of unnecessary pain and suffering on all

> animals . Articles 48-A of the Indian Constitution calls upon the State to

> protect and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country. It is

> also relevant to mention that due to abuse of elephants, there has been an

> increase in the number of unnatural deaths of mahouts and elephants.

>

> The use of elephants in public also poses a very big risk to the lives and

> safety of the public. In the above case, the Jaipur elephants have also

> exhibited traits of violent behavior due to the harshness and ill-treatment

> meted out to it by its “owners”. Therefore exhibiting these animals to the

> rigors of a game like polo is against public safety and in violation of 289

> of the Indian Penal Code pertaining to negligent conduct with respect to an

> animal.

>

> There is a specific ban on the use of lions, tigers, bears, panthers and

> monkeys as performing animals vide central government notification dated

> 14th October 1998 . It is very necessary that similar ban be imposed on

> elephants.

>

> The office of the Chief Conservator of Forests Thane Maharashtra has

> issued a circular dated 24-07-2007 prohibiting elephants in the city of

> Mumbai Municipal Corporation on grounds of violation of wildlife laws. The

> office of the Chief Conservator of Forests Guwahati Assam has issued a

> circular dated 18-08-2007 directing DFOs to take action those using

> elephants for begging and other performances on grounds of violation of The

> Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act,

> 1960

>

> In view of the above, it is very shocking that these elephants have been

> permitted to be used as entertainment props and hence and there is an urgent

> need for similar bans to be issued on the use of elephants as performing

> animals and for commercial purposes in all States of the country.

>

> We kindly appeal for your intervention in the above matter and request

> for a ban on the use of elephants in polo or in any other sports

> activities / entertainment / performances/ begging or any other activity

> that cause pain and suffering to the elephants.

>

> Thanking you,

>

> Yours sincerely,

> Suparna Baksi-Ganguly

> Trustee, WRRC

>

>

> cc: Shri Jairam Ramesh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the

> Ministry of Environment and Forests

> jairam

>

> Sri K. M. Chandrasekhar, Union Cabinet Secretary, Rashtrapati Bhavan, New

> Delhi 110 004

> cabinetsy

>

> Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Forests, Paryavaran Bhawan, CGO

> Complex, Lodi Road, New Delhi - 110 003 <secy

>

> Shri A.N. Prasad I.F.S - Inspector General of Forests & Director, Project

> Elephant, Ministry of Environment & Forests, Paryavaran Bhavan, CGO Complex,

> Lodi Road, New Delhi-110003 gajendra

>

> Dr. Anjani Kumar, Director, 8th Floor, Jeewan Prakash Building, 25, K.G.

> Marg, New Delhi-110001

> anjani.moef

>

> Chief Wildlife Warden, Government of Rajasthan, Van Bhavan, Vaniki Path,

> Jaipur 302 005.

>

> Conservator of Forests & CWW, Govt. of Delhi, Kamala Nehru Ridge,

> Delhi-110007

>

> Chairman, Animal Welfare Board of India, 13/1, Third Seaward Road, Valmiki

> Nagar, Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai-600 041 rmkawbi

>

> Rissala Polo Club, C/o Classic Golf Resort, Gurgaon, India, Ph:

> +91-9810339697

> rissalapolo

>

>

>

>

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive & Sou\

rce=Page & Skin=TOINEW & BaseHref=CAP/2009/10/09 & PageLabel=34 & EntityId=Ar03402 & ViewM\

ode=HTML & GZ=T

>

> Times of India, 10.10.09

> Haathi ka chukker

> PIYALI DASGUPTA

>

> The polo season has started and after a gap of two years, the city is all

> set to witness an exclusive exhibition polo match tomorrow. But this time,

> the players will not be playing horse polo but elephant polo instead. And

> the match will include prominent players like Angad and Uday Kalaan, Samir

> Suhag, Dhruv Godhara and so on.

>

> Informs Samir, “Elephant polo is not very common in India. It’s also far

> slower than horse polo. The elephants are trained in Jaipur and will be

> brought down to the city for this exhibition match.” Baljinder Dhillon, CEO,

> Rissala Polo elaborates, “While the equipment consists of a standard polo

> ball and six to nine foot cane (similar to bamboo) sticks with a polo mallet

> head at one end, the pitch is three-quarters of the length of a standard

> polo pitch, because elephants are slower. Two people ride each elephant; the

> elephants are steered by mahouts, while the player tells the mahout which

> way to go and also hit the ball. A top actor and a cricketer have confirmed

> their presence at the event, but we can’t divulge their names right now.”

--

> http://www.stopelephantpolo.com

> http://www.freewebs.com/azamsiddiqui

>