Karnataka Is Becoming Killing Field For Elephants, 11 Have Fallen In And Died In Just 1 Year
Eleven elephants have died due to various health reasons in Karnataka in last one year. The state forest department filed an affidavit before the High Court in response to a Public Interest Litigation PIL which sought directive to proper management of the camps in which elephants are kept.
In last one year, eleven elephants have died due to various health reasons in Karnataka. The state forest department filed an affidavit before the High Court in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) which sought directive to proper management of the camps in which elephants are kept.
Representational image
Advocate NP Amruthesh had filed the PIL. The death of three orphan elephants kept at Sakrebailu camp happened due to Herpes virus infection, hemorrhage and gastroenteritis. One elephant whose name was Ranga died in the road accident. The New Indian Express reported.
Bullet injury for three month, forest department remained clueless
Surya, 32, an elephant lodged at Dubare camp died due to the bullet injury which fractured his leg. The elephant had suffered bullet injury in 2017 before he was captured by the forest department from the forest area near Rajendrapura village in Sakleshpura taluk.
The forest department didn¡¯t notice that the elephant is injured and when the elephant was put in training cell also known as kraal after three months he was captured, the swelling was noticed on elephant¡¯s right leg.
Others died of cardiac arrest
A bullet was found during the scrubbing and bath, but the wound didn¡¯t heal and in August 2018, the elephant¡¯s knee was fractured. Due to late finding of the bullet injury and later the fractured knee, Surya couldn¡¯t recover and died. The forest department told the High Court that the other elephants died due to cardiac arrest and other health related issues.
BCCL/ REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE
In reply to the allegations about elephant Drona¡¯s death, the forest department claimed in the High Court that the Conservator of Forests and Field Director, Tiger Project, Rajiv Gandhi National Park, Hunsur, conducted an inquiry. The probe revealed that it was the case of natural death and elephant Drona died due to cardiac arrest.
The state houses 100 elephants
The state of Karnataka houses 100 elephants. The eight camps have been established and a total of 93 elephants which includes 25 in Matthigodu and Balle camp, 28 in Dubare, while Sakrebailu camp has 25, 13 are kept in Ramapura and 2 are in Phanasoli. The department told the High Court that these camps are managed and maintained strictly according to the Karnataka Forest Code provisions. The department also told that three veterinary doctors are taking care of the elephants in these camps and they are serving the department on deputation from Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences. These doctors visits twice a week and in emergency. They have also been provided with vehicles.
5 kg of fodder is too less
The Karnataka High Court on Friday said that the allocation of fodder of 5 kh per animal was too less for a large cattle and the amount of Rs 70 per day as monetary assistance is also very low. Noticing these facts, the Court directed the Secretary, Animal Husbandry who heads the disaster management to appear before the court on July 14, the next date of hearing.
BCCL/ REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE
The Court was hearing a PIL by a resident of Gubbi taluk in Tumakuru district and the Karnataka State Legal Service Authority which said that Maharashtra has allocated Rs 100 a day for as aid apart from establishing thousands of cattle camps to provide relief to cattle suffering due to drought where Karnataka has set up only 27 such camps.
