Guwahati: Following the Gauhati High Court’s order to the Tamil Nadu government to let the Assam delegation team meet the elephant Joymala, the four members will soon visit the Srivilliputhur temple, officials informed on Monday.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) recently alleged that elephant Joymala was being tortured and kept captive at the Andal temple in Srivalliputhur in Chennai and urged the state governments to look into the elephant’s well-being.
Elephant Joymala is one female tusker among the nine elephants that were donated by Assam to Tamil Nadu govwernment for its temples.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Assam MK Yadava said: “Our team has experts who will examine the conditions of Joymala, and depending on that we will have a talk with the government about further steps.”
After the TN government officials denied the Assam delegation team’s effort to meet Joymala, two members of the team – Superintendent of Police Morigaon district, Aparna Natarajan and a renowned veterinarian of Assam K.K. Sarma returned to Assam.
They are now flying to Madurai and will meet the elephant Joymala in Srivilliputhur temple which comes under Virudhunagar district in Tamil Nadu.
K.K. Sarma said, “Following the order of Gauhati High Court, the Assam government has asked us to visit the temple and enquire about the well-being of Joymala. We are rushing to Madurai via Chennai and the other two members of our team will meet in Madurai.”
The delegation team will take a 70-km-long road trip from Madurai to reach the temple to see in what condition the Joymala is kept by the temple authority.
“If we find that the elephant is being ill-treated which the Tamil Nadu forest department officials were constantly denying, we will ask the TN government for Joymala’s custody,” Sarma added.
Assam sent a four-member delegation team to inspect the situation and bring back the elephant after a video of Joymala in a deplorable situation surfaced over the Internet.
But the team, which had been lodging in Chennai since September 3 this year, accused the TN government officials of not allowing them to see the elephant.
Following that, the Assam government approached the Gauhati High Court last week.
(IANS)
