NEW DELHI, March 28 – Bowing to growing pressure, Union Environment and Forest Ministry has ordered an inquiry into the death of an elephant in Chattisgarh last month that involved Parbati Barua, even as the lone woman elephant-expert held it was the lack of timely and efficient veterinary support and not training, which resulted in the death of the elephant.
The controversy surrounding the death of the wild tusker in captivity has generated a lot of heat with involvement of animal rights groups, NGOs and experts including former Union Minister, Maneka Gandhi who lodged a complaint against Smt Barua with the Cabinet Secretariat and the Chief Vigilance Commissioner (CVC). The mounting controversy prompted Union Environment and Forest Minister, TR Baalu to order an inquiry by a three-member expert group here yesterday.
The expert body which has been given one month to submit its report is headed by SC Sharma former Additional Director General of Forest (Wildlife), Dr N Paneer Selvam veterinary officer National Zoological Park and S Singsit Director in-charge of Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India. The Committee has been asked to inquire into the circumstances and cause of death of the elephant, appropriateness of the techniques adopted for capture and training. It will also ascertain whether any lapses or irregularities were committed by any authority or person leading to the death of the animal. It would be also the mandate of the committee to suggest measures to be taken to avoid such incidence in future, official sources here announced.
The inquiry was ordered after Smt Barua dashed off a letter explaining her side of the story to the Union Environment and Forest Minister on March 24. In her explanation letter addressed to KC Misra Secretary (Environment and Forest), she has countered each allegation made against her charging the documentary film maker, Mike Pandey of twisting facts.
In her letter, Smt Barua has clarified that she came to Chattishgarh in response to desperate pleas by the State Forest Department and she had not lobbied for it. She further pointed out that the so-called Rs 36 lakh contract was an estimate of the State Forest Department, which also included items of works to be done departmentally. “I have received only the wages and expenses of my kunki elephants and support staff,” she claimed.
The honorary Chief Elephant Warden of Assam has clarified that the wild bull tusker was captured by the officials of the Jashpur Division by Chemical Immobilisation method and not through Mela Shikar though she was under pressure to do so. The elephant in question was declared a rogue by the Chief Additional Wildlife Warden under section 11 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act.
It was chemical immobilisation, the winner of the United Nation’s Environment Programme (UNEP) Award held was responsible for the death of the tusker as it was not done professionally. The elephant was darted six times and one dart hit the trunk forcefully from close range. “The wound caused by this dart did not heal up despite our best efforts and most probably led to its death on February 24,” she opined.
The chemical immobilisation was carried out by a tranquilliser expert from Kerala brought by the State Forest Department. Denying that allegations of cruelty to the elephant, she said that it was watered and fed properly. “It was trained in the usual North Eastern method which is considered safe by the experts for elephants below seven feet height.
“The method depends on extensive use of ropes and injuries sustained by the struggling elephant heals up in due course. The tusks were slightly trimmed to prevent the elephant from injuring itself and others,” she clarified. “It’s an absolute lie that the eyes of the animal were gouged out. The use of spear was minimal,” she asserted.