A writ petition has been filed before the Kerala High Court seeking directives to the Centre, Kerala and Tamil Nadu governments to take utmost care not to cause any injury or other health hazard to wild tusker Arikompan while tranquillising it and using Kumki elephants to translocate the elephant, and adhere to the mandatory and statutory protocols and norms under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
The petition was filed by Sabu M. Jacob, president, Twenty 20 party, Kochi. He also sought a directive to the Tamil Nadu government to hand over the tusker to the Kerala Forest department for rehabilitating the tusker to any of the forest divisions in Kerala if it is captured by the Tamil Nadu Forest department.
According to the petitioner, the translocation of the tusker from Chinnakanal in Idukki district to the Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) had not solved the problems created by the elephant. The tusker had now entered the human habitation areas at Cumbum town in Tamil Nadu. Three people were reportedly injured while trying to escape from the areas when they saw the elephant roaming in the place. In fact, the elephant had reportedly damaged several vehicles parked along the road in the town. As a result, the Tamil Nadu Forest department had issued an order for tranquillising and capturing the elephant and releasing it in the deep forests of Villaimalai under the Meghamalai forest division.
The petitioner also wanted to ensure that the heath of the animal was protected. He pointed out that from media reports, it was learnt that the trunk of the elephant was seriously injured and it was weak due to the non-availability of drinking water.
The petitioner pleaded that if the elephant was tranquillised and captured, it should be translocated to an alternative deep forest and rehabilitated using scientific methods.
