Sharing another article published in Indian Express.

Union Minister’s intervention sought

Express News ServiceFirst Published : 20 Nov 2009 01:00:00 AM IST
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Elephant Lovers’ Association has alleged that the apathetic attitude of Revenue, Police and Forest officials are leading to increasing incidents of atrocities against elephants.

Association secretary V K Venkitachalam, in a missive to Union Minister for Forests and Environment Jairam Ramesh, said explanation should be sought from the state Chief Secretary, the DGP and the Chief Wildlife Warden regarding the “rampant maltreatment of captive elephants during festivals’’.

A photograph showing Kalpathy Kesavan, the tusker who died on November 17, pulling a giant chariot at Kalpathy in Palakkad was sent to the Union Minister. “Even though the Kalpathy Ratholsavam is sponsored by the District Tourism Promotion Council, Palakkad, such maltreatment takes place because the Revenue, Forest and Police authorities are unwilling to act against festival organisers,’’ Venkitachalam said in his letter.

Another photograph of elephants being paraded under direct sunl ight at Thripunithura temple too was sent. “This practice will continue for the next seven days, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
inside the Poornathrayeesa temple, Ernakulam,’’ the letter said.

Though the Wildlife Crime Prevention Bureau has its zonal office in Ernakulam,
Venkitachalam said that no action was taken against the 15 elephant contractors who had brought elephants from Palakkad, Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts without securing the permission of the respective DFOs. The district collectors too stood as mute witnesses, Venkitachalam charged

The source article can be found here:
http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/s...7i|xOZ5Y=&SEO=