Let Assam team inspect ‘abused’ elephant, Gauhati HC tells Tamil Nadu govt.

It will also check on nine other elephants leased out by Assam, says court

GUWAHATI

The Gauhati High Court on Friday directed the Tamil Nadu government to allow a four-member team from Assam to examine Joymala, an allegedly abused temple elephant, within three days of receiving a copy of the order.

The Tamil Nadu government has also been asked to let the team inspect the condition of nine other elephants leased out by Assam for specific periods.

The team headed by Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Hirdesh Mishra, has been waiting since September 3 for permission from the Tamil Nadu government to inspect Joymala, a female captive elephant at the Krishnan Kovil temple at Srivilliputhur. The elephant, renamed Jeyamalyatha, was leased out by Assam in 2011 for six months.

“The High Court has issued a notice to the Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police to let the Assam team inspect the elephants within three days of receiving the order. The Tamil Nadu government has also been asked to reply on the matter within 15 days,” Assam’s advocate general Devojit Saikia said.

“Notices have also been issued to the Tamil Nadu Forest Department and the Union Environment Ministry,” he said, adding that the court has fixed September 28 as the next date of hearing.

The Assam government had approached the High Court on Wednesday after its Tamil Nadu counterpart declined to cooperate with the four-member team despite repeated requests.