'There should be minimum distance of three metres between elephants'; High Court issues guidelines regarding parading of elephants

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has issued an order containing detailed guidelines regarding the parading or exhibition of elephants for festivals and other functions in the state. The court stated that organisers should strictly follow these guidelines while parading elephants at religious functions, temple festivals and other events. The main guideline is that organisers of the program should ensure all documents, including the elephant's health certificate.

The District Committee should give permission for the parading of elephants only after checking the certificates. The order also states that the elephant should not be exhibited for a continuous period of more than three hours. It was the division bench comprising Justice AK Jayashankaran Nambiar and Justice A Gopinath that issued the order. The guidelines specify ensuring good food, proper rest, adequate space for parading the elephant, and maintaining a certain distance from the public.

The distance between elephants during the procession should be three meters. Government-appointed doctors must issue fitness certificates for the elephants. Committees should be formed in each district to ensure the effective implementation of the order. These committees should include a member of the Animal Welfare Board. Instructions were given to the Devaswoms in this regard. The court also ordered that capture belts or other inhuman methods should not be used to capture elephants.