ES Reporter

ITANAGAR, Jun 14: Responding to media reports on the recent transportation of elephants from Arunachal to Gujarat,  which evoked much debate on social media platforms,  the PCCF (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden Ngilyang Tam today said that the elephants are domesticated and donated willingly by their owners following proper procedure. 
Six individuals from Namsai district had sought permission to transport 10 pachyderms from the district to Gujarat on May 27 last. Chow Molaseng Namshum, (3 captive elephants), Gonjai Deorl (1),  Nang Khetli Longkan (3), Chow Montu Chowlu, (1), Chow Rajendra Manchey  (1), and  Chow Mahana Mantaw  (1) had applied for permission for transportation of elephants to the Chief Wildlife Warden, Arunachal Pradesh along with enclosure as per Form-VI sub. Rule (2) of Rule 8, Application for permission to transport specified animals under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 to  Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust, Jamnagar, Gujarat.
The applications in the prescribed format were submitted to the Chief Wildlife Warden Arunachal Pradesh through the Divisional Forest Officer, Namsai Forest Division.  The applications were accompanied by elephant registration certificates, an affidavit of inheritance of the elephants in case of the death of the owner under whose names the elephant was registered, birth certificate of the elephant if it was born to the registered elephant, Aadhar card of the owner, physical verification report of the elephant by the DFO or Range Officer of the area.
"The applications were scrutinized and were forwarded to the Chief Wildlife Warden, Gujarat for his comments and authenticity of the claims of the Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust, Gujarat," the PCCF said.
Following the application, the Chief Wildlife Warden Gujarat issued NOC and informed that the Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust has adequate housing facilities to house 150 elephants with state of the art facilities with trained veterinary officers and elephant mahaouts.
The Transportation Order was given by the Chief Wildlife Warden, Arunachal Pradesh in the prescribed format which is Form VII (Permission to transport specified animals etc.) under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, added the PCCF(Wildlife).
Moreover, the Divisional Forest Officer, Namsai Forest Division on receipt of the transportation permit, issued letter to the Veterinary Officer to issue Fitness to travel Certificates under guidelines for care management of captive Elephants and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.Thereafter, the Divisional Forest Officer, Namsai Forest Division issued a letter to the concerned Range Forest Officer to issue Transit Pass against the captive elephants. The route followed is Arunachal-Assam-West Bengal-Bihar-Uttar Pradesh-Rajasthan-Gujarat.
"As per reports, all the elephants reached their destination safely. The transportation of elephants was done solely by the private individuals and the Department cannot say much about the purpose of donation to the trust," the PCCF said.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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