SV Krishna Chaitanya By Express News Service CHENNAI: After spending 18 years chained in a cramped concrete shed, Kothai, the female elephant at the famous Adi Keshava Perumal temple in Sriperumbadur, will be rehabilitated in a new home in the next couple of months. Express had published an article on May 3, on the suffering of the 22-year-old elephant. In response, the forest department issued a notice to the temple authorities to comply with the Tamil Nadu Captive Elephants (Management and Maintenance) Rules, 2001. As per the official records, the elephant was born in 1998 in Lakimpur in Assam and was brought to Sriperumbadur temple, when she was as young as three, on September 6, 2001, for her presence in rituals. On Thursday, Sriperumbadur forest ranger Selva Kumar and a veterinary doctor visited the temple to check on the health of the elephant and took up the issue of her rehabilitation with the temple management. “The elephant, per se, is in good health with no visible external stress marks. But, her living conditions are clearly not in compliance with the established rules. I have already served the notice and the executive officer of the temple has promised to rehabilitate the elephant in two months and said the ground work has already started in the land identified. I asked them to give it in writing and the department will take action, if the temple does not keep the promise,” Selva Kumar told Express. Currently, the elephant’s two legs (one front and back) are short-chained to a pillar rock in a small shed, not even enough for her to sit or move sidewards. The shed was constructed when she was brought as a calf, but now the elephant weighs 3,840 kgs. The shed is also poorly ventilated, facing west, whereby she is exposed to the hottest part of the day. Naga Sathish Gidijala, District Forest Officer (DFO), Kancheepuram, told Express that the department has suggested certain measures to keep the elephant hydrated and healthy in these harsh weather conditions, until she is moved to a bigger place. “The temple authorities said they have identified the land near the temple, which has a natural pond and vegetation. We will install shower and other facilities. The work will start in two months time.” As per Section 5 of Tamil Nadu Captive Elephants (Management and Maintenance) Rules, 2001, a minimum floor area and height of 9 metre x 6 metre x 6 metre shall be ensured. Going by this standard, the Kothai’s shed is not even one-third of it. 3,840 kgs The shed was built when Kothai was a calf, but now the elephant weights 3,840 kgs Chained Currently, the elephant’s two legs are short-chained to a pillar rock in a small shed, not even enough for her to sit or move sidewards. The shed is also west-facing, exposing her to more heat

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