Assam set to defy Supreme Court, send 4 jumbos to Gujarat

GUWAHATI: Defying a 2016 Supreme Court order that had categorically ruled out inter-state transfer of elephants, Assam is planning to send four captive pachyderms from Tinsukia to a temple in Ahmedabad for the upcoming Rath Yatra festival there. This has raised concern among wildlife experts who are now trying to assess what impact would the travel - a distance of about 3,000 km and that too in this heat - have on the health of the animals.
Talking to TOI, forest minister Parinal Suklabaidya said the elephants would be at the Jagannath temple in Ahmedabad for six months. "The owners will send the elephants to Ahmedabad only after they get permission. The Gujarat government has issued the no-objection certificate. This is a temporary arrangement," he added.
Forest officials said the elephants have micro-chips for identification. While questions are being raised about the possible hazards of the transfer, experts are revisiting a SC order in May 2016 that had categorically ruled out inter-state transfer of elephants. "We will follow the due process of law and all formalities," Suklabaidya added.
The SC had ruled that "people who are in possession of elephants shall not transfer the elephants outside the state, nor shall they part with the elephants by way of transfer in any manner".
"We think it apt to direct that the state government shall not issue any ownership certificate to any of the persons in possession of elephants.
If any ownership certificate has been issued in the meantime, the same shall be withdrawn subject to the final verdict of this court," the order had said. The railways informed that a parcel coach has been booked for the elephants.
^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

References

1. ^{^} Supreme Court (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
2. ^{^} inter-state transfer of elephants (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
3. ^{^} Assam (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
4. ^{^} Rath Yatra festival (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
5. ^{^} Jagannath temple (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)

from India News | Latest News Headlines & Live Updates from India - Times of India http://bit.ly/2FlSTxq