GUWAHATI: The Delhi High Court has intervened to halt the relocation of a 48-year-old female elephant from Assam to a temple in the capital on Thursday, October 24, citing a lack of clarity regarding the necessity and purpose of the move.
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Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedeala presided over the case, which highlighted concerns raised by the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO).
As per reports, issuing a notice to the Maa Baglamukhi Mandir Trust, the court ordered that the elephant, named Ranjitha, should not be moved from her current location since her journey to Delhi had not yet commenced.
The court directed the Union of India to inform the relevant authorities to comply with this order. This decision came during a hearing prompted by a plea from the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO), which challenged the transfer of the captive elephant.
The court has scheduled a follow-up hearing for November 28 and requested that the chief wildlife warden visit the temple site to evaluate the living conditions, staffing, and the number of animals present. Concerns were raised by the FIAPO counsel regarding the potential trauma Ranjitha could experience due to the drastic change in climate, as she is accustomed to Jorhat, which is said to have considerable greenery.
“Is she fit enough to travel so far?” the bench questioned, noting that the average lifespan of female elephants is around 60 years. The judges expressed scepticism about the suitability of a 2,000-kilometre journey for the 48-year-old pachyderm. They also questioned the rationale behind confining her in a smaller environment.
Authorities from Assam and the chief wildlife warden in Delhi had previously granted permission for Ranjitha's transfer. However, the petitioner emphasised the urgency of the matter, arguing that once the elephant arrived in Delhi, returning her to Assam would be a strenuous journey.
Bharati Ramachandran, CEO of FIAPO, welcomed the court's decision to stay the transfer, describing it as “completely against the well-being” of the elephant.
“The idea of bringing a living, breathing elephant from her lush green habitat of Assam to Delhi, to live in a concrete prison, under harsh artificial lights and air-conditioning, is unthinkable. The facility approved by the Delhi forest department to keep the elephant is more like a warehouse where a person would keep a car, not a living being,” CEO of FIAPO remarked.
