A Division Bench of the High Court on Monday ordered that a minimum distance of six metres be maintained between elephants being paraded and percussion or other artistes who may be performing during the Thrissur Pooram festivities.
The Bench comprising A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Gopinath P. also directed that Theevetti be placed at a minimum six metres away from the elephants. The court ordered that only a bare minimum number of persons authorised by the organisers be permitted to enter the open area of six metres and that too strictly upon requirement. No other person shall be permitted to enter this area.
The court clarified that the above directives shall not be applied to persons who may have to stand immediately behind the elephants during the Kudamattam ritual. For ritualistic purposes, a Kuthuvilakku alone will be permitted in front of the elephant carrying the deity. No Theevetti shall be used along with the Kuthuvilakku.
Rapid response teams
The court directed the Principal Chief Conservator (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, Kerala, to deploy rapid response teams (RRT) to deal with any untoward incidents. Elephant squads/volunteers (if any) engaged by the organisers shall only assist the RRT and will act only upon instructions of the RRT official. The Bench ordered the organisers, Paramekavu and Thiruvambadi Devaswoms, to share the details of volunteers in elephant squads with the Assistant Conservator of Forests (Social Forestry), Thrissur by 5 p.m. on April 18.
Under no circumstances will devices such as a ‘capture belt’ be used by such elephant squads. No other equipment which will hurt or maim captive elephants should be used.
The organisers/mahouts were directed to ensure that the elephants are not fatigued and are not exposed to the hot sun for long. They should ensure that the elephants are properly fed and watered, the court ordered.
The court also directed that the verification and issuance of fitness certificates for captive elephants being brought for the Pooram be done on April 18, following the mandate of the Kerala Captive Elephant Management Rules, 2012.
An elephant’s fitness
The court directed the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden to ensure that permission for parading elephant Thechikottukavu Ramachandran be given if he is satisfied that the elephant is fit to be paraded. The elephant is proposed to be paraded during the the procession from the Neithalakavau Devi Temple to the Vadakkumnathan Temple.
