Did not follow norms prescribed by High Court; case registered against Poornathrayeesa Temple governing council for elephant parading

KOCHI: The Forest Department has registered a case against the governing council of the Trippunithura Poornathrayeesa Temple for violating the norms set by the Kerala High Court regarding the parading of elephants. The Forest Department registered the case after finding the temple authorities failed to maintain the required distance between the elephants during the recent temple festival. The Forest Department's investigation found that the governing council failed to maintain the three-meter distance between the elephants as well as the eight-meter distance between humans and elephants during the festival.

Furthermore, the investigation found that 'theevatti' (fire torches) were brought too close to the elephants, violating the prescribed five-meter distance. The Social Forestry division of the Forest Department, responsible for the maintenance of captive elephants, has taken up the case. Temple authorities, however, claimed that the elephants were kept close together as it rained on the night of the festival.