Meeting with Mr. Jairam Ramesh re temple elephants

[Guest guest]

On Tuesday, February 16, 2010, S. Chinny Krishna, Chairman and Dr. Nanditha

Krishna, Member of the Governing Body of the Blue Cross of India met Mr.

Jairam Ramesh, Hon'ble Minister of Environment & Forests, Government of

India.

 

A plea was made by Dr. Chinny Krishna to ban all elephants kept captive and

in chains in temples. Mr. Jairam Ramesh's immediate response was: " Will the

grand daughter of the Diwan of Travancore support such a ban (since Kerala

has the largest number of temple elephants)? " . (This was a reference to the

fact that Nanditha Krishna is the great grand-daughter of Sir C. P.

Ramaswami Aiyar, former Divan of Travancore). Nanditha Krishna immediately

said that not only would she support such a ban but Sir CP himself would

have been happy to do so considering that the State of Travancore under Sir

CP had been the first to ban the hunting of animals well over 70 years ago -

the first Princely State in India to have done so. She also made a fervent

plea that the separation of the calf from its mother be prevented - and that

this was a sight that would haunt anyone who has witnessed it for the rest

of their lives.

 

The Minister said he would definitely ask the Chairman of the Elephant Task

Force, Dr. Mahesh Rangarajan, to take up this matter and that the

Minister would support such a ban.

 

Is the end of the temple elephant and the sight of our God in chains be an

image of the past?

 

Regards

 

S. Chinny Krishna

 

 

--

" The hands that help are holier than the lips that pray "

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Now this is some positive " Elephantine News " .

 

Congratulations Madam Krishna on this remarkable victory !

Indeed Dr. Chinny, now it should not take long to free the Gods from the

Chains of slavery.

 

Commendable action taken by Mr. Jairam Ramesh who has been taking a lot of

interest in wiping out the dust and clearing the existing loopholes in the

Ministry of Environment and Forests with regards to many burning issues in

India after taking charge as the minister.

 

Mr. John Elliot, a eminent Journalist in one of his articles says*,*

*

*

*** " **Jairam Ramesh is India’s first non-corrupt, policy-oriented and

knowledgeable environment minister for a decade " *

Please see the link below:

 

http://ridingtheelephant.wordpress.com/2009/12/11/india-to-protect-the-environme\

nt-from-damaging-development-projects/

 

 

Also the fact that the voices and work of many distinguished Indian Women

working with animals and wildlife are being provided opportunities by the

minister and the Indian Government in recent times is a remarkable signal

towards improvement.

 

Television Journalist Ms. Bahar Dutt who is again is one of India's expert

on wildlife and also a woman on her blog once wrote,

 

* " India**'s green activists can take heart that in the lofty corridors of

power they finally have access to a minister who is articulate,

English-speaking much like the urban elite from which **India**'s

environment movement is drawn. Perhaps herein lies**

**Ramesh**'s**strength. He is a minister who is accessible and

responsive. In the days to

come can this Minister take the much-needed tough decisions which may

sometime make him unpopular with his own government and put a clear

moratorium on infrastructure projects coming up on elephant corridors and

vital tiger habitats?** **Jairam** **Ramesh** **has his work cut out. And

the greens have much hope from the new minister. " *

 

To read more see the link below:

http://ibnlive.in.com/blogs/bahardutt/258/53761/can-jairam-ramesh-tac

kle-the-bull-by-its-horns.html

 

What do Ms. Belinda. Wright, Smt. Maneka Gandhi, Ms. Geetha Sheshamani, Ms.

Suparna Ganguly , and Ms. Nanditha Krishna have in common?

 

These powerful and dynamic leaders have been handpicked by the Indian

Government to advise and assist on policy matters for Indian wildlife,

environment and animal welfare crisis.

And Mr. Jairam Ramesh I believe is the man who is responsible for this

brilliant move.

I am sure many more good people will be roped in soon.

 

Ms. Belinda Wright, member of Indian Board of Widlife and Executive Director

WPSI, of whose contributions to India's wildlife we all are aware of,

specially the Tiger is someone I am extremely proud of.

Any issue, no matter how small or big, one animal or a herd of animals, New

Delhi or remote Indo-Myanmar border, captive or wild, Belinda has a heart

for them all.

She has in the past taken special interest whenever she hears of any SOS or

a crisis.

 

Former Union Minister for Environment & Forests & presently a Member of

Parliament in the opposition Smt. Maneka Gandhi has also been invited by the

ruling Indian Congress Government on the special recommendation of Mr.

Jairam Ramesh to co ordinate and advise on the many issues.

Some of the issues that Smt. Gandhi is already initiating action is closely

monitoring and assisting the Central Zoo Authority of India with regards to

the upliftment of Indian Zoo conditions.

She is also working on the rehab, the Zoo elephants coordinating between the

Indian Government and Animal Rescue and Rehab centres in India and abroad.

As a member with the NTCA (National Tiger Conservation Authority) it again

is a blessing for the Indian Tigers to have their roar echoed inside the

Parliament.

It should be noted that Smt. Maneka Gandhi is till date the ONLY animal

rights advocate who dares to voice/ debate for the voiceless destitute

animals of Independent India.

 

 

Likewise we all have read the news of the recent induction of Ms. Suparna

Ganguly, as member 'Elephant Task Force' which I have already posted last

week on AAPN.

 

This is what Ms. Ganguly had to say on an email to me after becoming a

member,

* " I really hope that some good things emerge and for this, we will need the

support of the all-India captive elephant research team members and NGOs who

have offered such critical help in the past.*

*I hope and pray that things improve and will try my best, on behalf of all

of us. " *

 

Legendary elephant expert Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick yet another woman and

perhaps the most revered surrogate mother for orphaned elephants and

rhinocerous, writes,

* " **This is wonderful news. We wish Ms Ganguly success in her important role

as an advocate for the more humane treatment of India's elephants. " *

 

It seems the year 2010 is a blessing for the lesser privileged species that

we are getting to hear so much of positive news trickling in.

 

Here is yet another recent news that was published last week which

highlights of some of our young superwomen and specially of Ms. Geetha

Sheshamani.

 

 

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-218162534.html

 

* " **Hakunamatata... What a wonderful world they live in! Meet the Janes of

the jungle who have snakes, crocs, tigers, monkeys and bears as their best

friends....... " *

 

I am just so proud of all these superwomen, and I know we all are.

But the fact that I have in the past and now had the opportunity to learn

and coordinate with all of them is a blessing that I will cherish for a

lifetime.

 

We certainly can see the change happening Mr. Jairam Ramesh, thank you

for brighting the flame of hope within us.

May the hope bring the desired changes

 

Azam Siddiqui

 

 

 

 

On Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 10:57 PM, <drkrishna wrote:

 

>

>

>

> On Tuesday, February 16, 2010, S. Chinny Krishna, Chairman and Dr. Nanditha

> Krishna, Member of the Governing Body of the Blue Cross of India met Mr.

> Jairam Ramesh, Hon'ble Minister of Environment & Forests, Government of

> India.

>

> A plea was made by Dr. Chinny Krishna to ban all elephants kept captive and

> in chains in temples. Mr. Jairam Ramesh's immediate response was: " Will the

> grand daughter of the Diwan of Travancore support such a ban (since Kerala

> has the largest number of temple elephants)? " . (This was a reference to the

> fact that Nanditha Krishna is the great grand-daughter of Sir C. P.

> Ramaswami Aiyar, former Divan of Travancore). Nanditha Krishna immediately

> said that not only would she support such a ban but Sir CP himself would

> have been happy to do so considering that the State of Travancore under Sir

> CP had been the first to ban the hunting of animals well over 70 years ago

> -

> the first Princely State in India to have done so. She also made a fervent

> plea that the separation of the calf from its mother be prevented - and

> that

> this was a sight that would haunt anyone who has witnessed it for the rest

> of their lives.

>

> The Minister said he would definitely ask the Chairman of the Elephant Task

> Force, Dr. Mahesh Rangarajan, to take up this matter and that the

> Minister would support such a ban.

>

> Is the end of the temple elephant and the sight of our God in chains be an

> image of the past?

>

> Regards

>

> S. Chinny Krishna

>

> --

> " The hands that help are holier than the lips that pray "

>

>