The forest department had recently seized six elephants following allegations that they were treated badly
Of these, two jumbos have been chosen to live in Rajaji National Park in Uttarakhand
A forest department official said no one showed any interest in the four elephants
NEW DELHI: Years of toil broke their health, but now when Delhi high court’s orders have brought the city’s last remaining elephants a reprieve, finding a refuge for them is proving a challenge.
After the forest department recently seized six of the seven elephants, only two have been chosen to live in Rajaji National Park in Uttarakhand, while efforts are on to settle the four others.
One elephant, which is owned by the chairman of a private company, will stay on in Delhi. For now, even the six ‘seized’ animals remain in the custody of their mahouts as the department does not have space to house them.
The department had seized the animals on HC’s orders, following allegations that they were treated badly and kept in unhygienic conditions. Two of them were found to be sick. Their poor health remains a hurdle for relocating them.
“While two will go to Rajaji, the other four are in poor health and neither Delhi nor Haryana is willing to spend money on them,” animal activist Gauri Maulekhi told TOI.
Elephants and their mahouts return after a day of work in Delhi
A forest department official said no one showed any interest in the four elephants. “Even Delhi zoo refused, saying it had enough of its own and managing any more would be tough.” Talks are on with Haryana officials, though.
The six elephants are usually seen on Yamuna Pushta Road, and in parts of Sangam Vihar and Wazirabad. Activists say the animals were illegally used at weddings, birthday parties and even in farmhouses. In February, an elephant went berserk on Vikas Marg, damaging several cars and injuring two people.
An elephant bathes in Delhi's Yamuna river
They should not be made to walk on a road next to traffic, Maulekhi said, adding, “Each elephant requires 1.25 acres to live freely, however they were living in chains.”
