Guwahati: The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a petition that raises concerns over the recent transportation of 20 elephants from Arunachal Pradesh to Gujarat on May 12.
Accepting a PIL filed by advocate Abhir Phukan, a bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice J B Pardiwala also posed a question to the Ministry of Environment and Forest to ‘what is the mode of transport of elephants from Arunachal Pradesh to the state of Gujarat.’
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Advocate Abhir Phukan in the petition said that at least 20 elephants from Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura are being relocated to Radha Krishna Temple Elephant Trust at Jamnagar in Gujarat.
The petition by Phukan highlights the fact that relocation of these elephants will involve a movement of over 3,400 kms by road and across various geographical and climatic conditions and it poses raises very serious questions relating to the health, safety and security of these elephants while undertaking such a long and difficult journey by road.
“Elephants have a very weak thermoregulatory system owing to minimal sweat glands. Their body temperature is 37 degree Celsius and their comfort zone is 25- 26 degree Celsius. The convoy carrying the 20 elephants would be passing through many places with temperatures in the range of 40- 45 degree Celsius, and there should be monitoring of any such relocation,” the petition said.
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‘Transportation of elephants to Gujarat which has arid desert-type climate also raise grave concerns about such elephants suffering from heat strokes,” it mentioned.
The petition also asserts that there is no clarity if the elephants being relocated and rehabilitated are captive and seized wild elephants and the antecedents of trust to whom the elephants are being sent are not known.
The Centre for Research on Animal Rights (CRAR) has recently expressed concern over the transfer of 20 elephants in a 49-vehicle caravan across 3000 km from Arunachal Pradesh to Gujarat.
Despite protests registered by various wildlife organisations, 20 elephants were transported out of Arunachal Pradesh’s Namsai District recently.
A Supreme Court-appointed High-Powered Committee (HPC) allowed the transfer of elephants to the Radha Krishna Temple Elephant Trust in Jamnagar supported by Reliance Industries Limited.