MADURAI: The Madurai bench of the Madras High Cout has banned the acquisition of elephants by private individuals or religious institutions. The court has directed the secretary of the government, Environment and Forest department to ensure this.

Justice GR Swaminathan has also directed to conduct inspection of all temples and other privately owned elephants.

“The time has now come to take a call if all such elephants now in captivity should be shifted to Government Rehabilitation Camps. The Secretary to Government, Environment and Forest Department may coordinate with the Secretary to Government, HR&CE Department in this regard," read the official notice.

The court also observed that the way in which the elephants are kept at many temples are not agreeable. The elephants live in miserable conditions like concrete floor, sheet roof, lack of food and no freedom. Also, the drunken mahouts brutally attack them. The elephants are deprived of their natural environment and it is harming them. The court also observed that this is why elephants sometimes attack humans.

The special judge heard the case filed by the forest department in the Madurai branch regarding the maintenance of a 60-year-old female elephant named Lalitha. The court ordered that the elephant should not be separated from mahout and it should continue to be under mahout care. Justice Swaminathan who recently visited the elephant found injuries on the body. He directed the District Collector of Virudhunagar to take care of the elephant with the help of the animal husbandry department. After the treatment, the elephant will be transferred to Government Elephant Rehabilitation Camp.