The conflicting data released on three different occasions in the last four years by the State government on microchipped tamed elephants in the State has kicked up a new row with elephant lovers approaching Union Ministry of Environment and Forests seeking its intervention.
As far as elephant lovers are concerned, the government had distorted and manipulated data on domesticated elephants to protect interests of those engaged in illegal trafficking of tamed elephants from outside to the State.
Statistics“The statistics released by the government on three occasions since 2010 speak for themselves. It was on December 12, Forest Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan gave a written reply to Babu M Palissery, MLA, in the Assembly saying that the State has a total of 691 tamed elephants. However, the Elephant Data Book released by Forest Department in 2012 said the State had 506 elephants. The list of micro-chipped elephants released by the department in 2010 said the State had 702 elephants. Another data says the State witnessed death of 310 tamed elephants since 2007. The mismatch is alarming,” says V. K. Venkitachalam of Thrissur-based Heritage Animal Task Force.
According to him, many elephants died since 2010 due to different reasons. That was the reason why the number was reduced to 506 in 2012. “Then how come the sudden increase in the number of elephants happened. The increased number arouses suspicion. Such an increase was not the result of birth of new calves,” he said.
S Guruvayurappan, project officer of Wildlife Protection Society of India, also shares the same concern. “The blowing up of the data assumes significance. We assume that the microchips attached to dead elephants have been removed in recent years to attach them to elephants transported illegally from North Indian States and Assam. The issue requires an independent investigation,” he said.
Mr Venkatachalam said he has already sent complaints to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as chairman of Wildlife Protection Society of India. Interventions of Union Environment and Forest Ministry and Animal Welfare Board of India have also been sought, he said.
From where all these 185 elephants came, he asks.
