Tourism film on jumbo ride draws flak
The AWBI had asked it to produce the ownership certificate of the elephant
ALAPPUZHA: Kerala Tourism has drawn flak from wildlife enthusiasts for shooting a promotional film with a tourist enjoying a ride on an elephant in Pathanamthitta.
It is alleged that the 2.34-minute video named ‘Explore Pathanamthitta’ had not obtained the permission of the Animal welfare Board of India (AWBI).
The video, which was uploaded on YouTube on May 22 by Don Media Entertainment, comes after the Supreme Court had ordered to produce the details of all captive elephants in the state and asked the government to take punitive action against law-breakers.
The film, which features a solo woman tourist’s sojourn to Pathanamthitta perched on the elephant, highlights the beauty of the area. But it may be recalled that on October 27 last, an elephant had killed a woman tourist from Gujarat at Iruttukanam near Munnar while she was trying to take a snap along with the jumbo.
Mr V.K. Venkitachalam, secretary, Heritage Animal Task Force, says Kerala Tourism had violated the provisions of Performing Animals Registration Rule 2001.
“When the tourism department applied for the certificate, the AWBI had asked it to produce the ownership certificate of the elephant. The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, does not have any provision empowering any state forest department to keep custody of elephants without ownership certificate,” he says.
Mr M.N. Jayachandran, member, State Animal Welfare Board, said the shoot was carried out without producing the ownership certificate.
“The tourism department had told the AWBI that there was an exemption for the forest department to keep custody of elephants without having any ownership certificate. The department failed to produce any papers or official notification that substantiate the exception,” he said.
Mr T. Pradeep Kumar, divisional forest officer (DFO), Konni, said they used the animal as the forest department did not require any ownership certificate. “However, following the insistence of AWBI, the department deposited the money for getting the certificate, which is yet to be received,” the DFO said.