TDB issues guidelines for elephant parades

Thiruvananthapuram: The Travancore Devaswom Board has asked the temple authorities to implement a 25-point guideline for parading elephants in festivals this season.

The TDB, which has 1,240 temples registered with it, has forwarded the guidelines prepared by  Dr Sudheendradev, veterinary doctor, to the temples to conduct peaceful and elephant-friendly festivals.

There are stringent laws on parading captive elephants which should be observed to avoid legal action, said the TDB order.           

The temple authorities should ensure that the elephants have proper ownership and other documents before the festival begins. If there are five or more elephnts, the organisers must take  public liability insurance coverage of Rs 25 lakh. Elephant squad doctors must be present throughout the parade.  The details of the festivals should be given to the district officer of Animal Husbandry Department,  assistant  conservator of forest and police sub-inspectors a week prior to the event.

The temple authorities should arrange at least 250 kg of food and 500 litres of potable water   per jumbo. No injured, pregnant, blind or child elephant should  be paraded. The details, including copies of insurance certificate, fitness certificate of transporting vehicle, microchip certificate and ownership certificate, should be made available on the spot. The medical reports on the elephant must be obtained from the veterinarians before the festival.

Elephants should not be paraded continuously for four days and  beyond eight hours a day. During paraezhunnallippu, the use of elephants should be restricted to 6 a.m. to 11 and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The presence of chief mahout is mandatory during the parade. No viewer should  touch the elephant. Crackers  should not be burst within fifty metres  of the parade ground, according to the guidelines.