Mathrubhumi English: Thiruvananthapuram:
Monday, October 24, 2016.
The figures
were given by the state Forest Department in response to an RTI inquiry by the
Thrissur-based animal campaigner Heritage Animal Task Force.
Though
keeping elephants without ownership certificates is an offense, as many as 393
captive tuskers are being kept without valid certification by temple
managements and individuals in Kerala.
While
Thrissur district, which annually hosts the famed Thrissur Pooram, has 91
elephants sans ownership certificates, Kottayam has 71 jumbos without
certification, followed by Kollam with 47 and Palakkad with 33.
The figures
were given by the state Forest Department in response to an RTI inquiry by the
Thrissur-based animal campaigner Heritage Animal Task Force.
Of the total
393 jumbos, 329 were tuskers, 60 female elephants and four 4 were makhna (male
elephant without tusks), HATF secretary V K Venkatachalam said.
"As per
the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, keeping an elephant without ownership
certificate is a non bailable offense," he noted.
"Such a
wildlife crime may fetch an imprisonment of seven years and a fine of Rs 25000.
However, the state government has not arrested anyone for the past 69 years for
continuing to commit such a serious crime," the activist said.
Besides
individuals, 'Devaswoms', the state-run temple management bodies, also keep elephants
without proper ownership certificates, Venkatachalam said quoting the figures.
While
Travancore Devaswom has 32 elephants without any ownership certificate, Cochin
Devaswam Board keeps 11 elephants without certification and Malabar Devaswom
has two jumbos sans ownership documents, it said.
The unlawful
custody of elephants would lead to torture of the animals, Venkatachalam said
adding as many as 19 captive elephants died in the state so far this year due
to alleged torture and negligence.
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