What a disgraceful picture this is. One of the most precious animals in India, declared by the Central Government to be India's Heritage animal, can be seen very often in this most ludicrous of environments - in the middle of the heavy traffic in the mega city of Mumbai. This animal is forced to walk on concrete roads, in all kinds of weather, resulting in terrible injury to the soft foot pads, ankles and legs.One wonders where those people are who consider the elephant so sacred? They are quite gullible in their outlook - mahouts have a field day during the festival of Ganpati, when superstitious devotees give out alms on simply spotting an elephant on the road. This magnificent animal has been reduced to an instrument of begging.
In 2007, a ban was instituted. Elephants were banned from plying the roads of Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. The owners and mahouts are not concerned. The animal is too large it seems for even forest officials to handle. No plans at all have been put into place to rehabilitate any elephant that is rescued from an 'Owner" who has no papers of ownership. Some elephants did disappear from the city after the ban, but they must be in as bad a condition as the city based elephants, with not enough daily water and fodder, suitable shelter (in the city, this does not exist), or rest. They are forced to ply the roads daily begging for alms and food.
In 2007, concrete plans were made for an Elephant Rescue Centre near Kolhapur. Everything was in place, and then suddenly, the plan was put on the back burner.
IDA India intends to work to open up this project again and try to get a refuge for the captive begging elephants in Maharashtra. We are starting an online petition, details of which will be posted shortly. Do join us in making every effort to help these animals, subjected to a bleak and tortured life in the city, for no fault of their own.
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