Tourists travelling to the Jim Corbett and Rajaji Tiger reserves in Uttarakhand for an elephant safari are in for a disappointment. Citing breach of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, Uttarakhand High Court has banned the commercial use of elephants for joy rides and commercial safaris and has also reduced the number of gypsies to not more than 100 per day inside the parks, the HT reported.
The Chief Wildlife warden has also been directed to take possession of private elephants within 24 hours. India shelters a rich variety of wildlife species and is home to 70% of India¡¯s tiger population. Wildlife has always given a boost to India¡¯s tourism industry as well as the revenues. However, the HC court said that during these rides, the elephants get hurt which results in their exploitation.
Photo Credits: BCCL/Representational Image
A surge in private resorts and hotels around wildlife reserves operate around 200 vehicles currently that enter these protected areas. Environmentalists and wildlife activists welcomed the move. A division bench of Justice Rajiv Sharma and Lok Pal Singh issued an order saying, ¡°banning commercial use of elephants in the entire Uttarakhand till further orders.¡±
The Chief Warden has further been directed to issue proper receipts to the owners of the elephants and take over them for medical examination, treatment and proper care.
Reportedly, the HC said,¡°The elephants shall be temporarily kept at Rajaji National Park, Chilla. The injured and maimed elephants shall be attended to by the veterinary doctors within 12 hours.¡±
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The court directions came as a result of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the chairperson of a Ramnagar-based NGO, Himalayan Yuva Gramin Vikas Sanstha, Mayank Mainali in 2012. He said that management of domesticated elephants is an issue because they are not treated well. The tourists should operate vehicles wherever there are roads in the park.
The order further states that no more than 100 private and commercial gypsies should be allowed to enter the Sitabani, Bijrani and Dhela zones of Corbett and Kalagarh and Rajaji National Park in a day.
The Wildlife Institute, Dehradun has been ordered to carry out a survey within three months that will assess the capacity of these vehicles that will ply in the various zones to prevent disturbance to animals as much as possible.
Only those private vehicles would be permitted to ply to whom valid permits have been issued by the RTO (Regional Transport Office) and concerned divisional forest officers, the court said.
The next hearing on the issue will take place on August 06.