PANAJI
The Goa government has assured the Bombay High Court at Goa that there has been no commercial use of captive elephants in Goa after they were seized by the State Forest Department.
A total of ten captive elephants were seized by the State Forest Department back in 2018 and an NGO People For Animals had approached the Bombay High Court at Goa apprehending that the elephants continued to be used for commercial purposes taking advantage of the fact that despite their seizure the elephants continue to remain in the custody of their original owners -- a group of spice farms -- since the forest department does not have the facility to keep them in their custody.
The High Court also directed that the elephants be examined by a large mammal veterinarian after the People for Animals submitted before the court that a known expert was willing to do so free of cost.
When the matter came up for hearing the Advocate General told the court that seizure orders have been made in this matter by the State Forest Authorities and that the spice farms have been permitted to retain the custody of the elephants, so that they are fed and maintained properly.
He also added that the State Forest Authorities have inspected the premises of the and they found these elephants were not being used for any commercial purposes. The spice farms too said that the elephants are not being used for any commercial purposes.
The court accepted the statements and decreed that the grievances of the petitioners were addressed. However, on the issue of examination of the condition of the elephants, the Goa government said it would have no problem if the inspection as sought by the NGO is carried out.
“We direct the State Forest Authorities to inspect the ten captive elephants at the earliest and further, associate ANCF and its Senior Scientist Surendra Varma and his team in such inspection. This entire exercise had to be concluded as early as possible, and in any case, within two months from today. Depending upon the result of the inspection, we are assured that the State Forest Authorities will take necessary steps to ensure the welfare of these elephants,” the Bombay High Court at Goa, a bench of Justices M S Sonak and M S Jawalkar said.
