elephants banned in mumbai
July 25, 2007
From: Mrityunjay Bose
Elephants not to be allowed in Mumbai
MUMBAI: After reviewing a graphic account by People for Ethical Treatment to Animals (PETA) elucidating the cruelty endured by elephants in cities and its impact on human health, the Maharashtra government has announced that elephants will no longer be allowed in the municipal limits of Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai without valid certification.
Shree Bhagwan, chief conservator of forests, Thane circle following a meeting with PETA and officials from the three places, issued the ban order on Tuesday. PETA had in the past submitted a report on this to Bhagwan and KL Prasad, joint commissioner of police in-charge of law and order in this metropolis.
"The order is progressive, and sets the gold standard for other governments to emulate," says Anuradha Sawhney, PETA's chief functionary. "We commend the government for their foresight, initiative, and kindness," she said and pointed out that there are over 40-odd elephants in these three municipal limits. "In Mumbai, there are around 14 to 16 elephants," she said.
The PETA report had pointed out many of the problems associated with allowing elephants on roads and outside temples in the city, including cruelty to elephants, the threat to human life and property, and the possible transmission of tuberculosis and anthrax to humans.
PETA also pointed out the violations of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960; the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972; the Performing Animals (Registration) Rule, 2001; the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959; and the Bombay Police Act with regard to the importation and use of elephants in Mumbai.
When 'The Herald' contacted Bhagwan, he said: "Like in case of vehicles, we required certification from RTOs when the owner of a vehicle change a State, here too the case is same. Once they leave a forest area, required certification related to ownership. When such a certificate comes before us, we can impose restriction." However, in most of the cases it is without a certificate. "In cities like Mumbai, it a problem for both, the animal as well as the human," he said justifying the order.
This gives a boost to the campaign started by PETA to ban entry of elephants in cities. The ban comes after an 18 month long campaign through which actor Rahul Khanna and Celina Jaitley posed in public service print advertisements, letters written by MPs Shatrughan Sinha and Maneka Gandhi; and a petition signed by Dilip Kumar, Saira Banu, John Abraham, MP Priya Dutt, Sanjay Dutt, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Isha Koppikar, Mahesh Bhatt, Yana Gupta and Gulshan Grover amongst others asking Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh to ban the entry of elephants into the city.
(This story was first published in The Maharashtra Herald, Pune)
From: Mrityunjay Bose
Elephants not to be allowed in Mumbai
MUMBAI: After reviewing a graphic account by People for Ethical Treatment to Animals (PETA) elucidating the cruelty endured by elephants in cities and its impact on human health, the Maharashtra government has announced that elephants will no longer be allowed in the municipal limits of Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai without valid certification.
Shree Bhagwan, chief conservator of forests, Thane circle following a meeting with PETA and officials from the three places, issued the ban order on Tuesday. PETA had in the past submitted a report on this to Bhagwan and KL Prasad, joint commissioner of police in-charge of law and order in this metropolis.
"The order is progressive, and sets the gold standard for other governments to emulate," says Anuradha Sawhney, PETA's chief functionary. "We commend the government for their foresight, initiative, and kindness," she said and pointed out that there are over 40-odd elephants in these three municipal limits. "In Mumbai, there are around 14 to 16 elephants," she said.
The PETA report had pointed out many of the problems associated with allowing elephants on roads and outside temples in the city, including cruelty to elephants, the threat to human life and property, and the possible transmission of tuberculosis and anthrax to humans.
PETA also pointed out the violations of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960; the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972; the Performing Animals (Registration) Rule, 2001; the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959; and the Bombay Police Act with regard to the importation and use of elephants in Mumbai.
When 'The Herald' contacted Bhagwan, he said: "Like in case of vehicles, we required certification from RTOs when the owner of a vehicle change a State, here too the case is same. Once they leave a forest area, required certification related to ownership. When such a certificate comes before us, we can impose restriction." However, in most of the cases it is without a certificate. "In cities like Mumbai, it a problem for both, the animal as well as the human," he said justifying the order.
This gives a boost to the campaign started by PETA to ban entry of elephants in cities. The ban comes after an 18 month long campaign through which actor Rahul Khanna and Celina Jaitley posed in public service print advertisements, letters written by MPs Shatrughan Sinha and Maneka Gandhi; and a petition signed by Dilip Kumar, Saira Banu, John Abraham, MP Priya Dutt, Sanjay Dutt, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Isha Koppikar, Mahesh Bhatt, Yana Gupta and Gulshan Grover amongst others asking Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh to ban the entry of elephants into the city.
(This story was first published in The Maharashtra Herald, Pune)
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