Jaipur: The state government on Thursday directed the department of archaeology and museums to segregate, quarantine and ensure that the 10 elephants found to be suffering from tuberculosis are not used as rides at Amer Fort.The move comes after a plea from animal rights groups, including the Humane Rights Society International/India (HSI India) and People for Animals for the contagious elephants to be quarantined.Following the court directions, the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) between December 2017 and March 2018 at Hathi Gaon conducted an examination where 10 elephants were found to be suffering from tuberculosis. Earlier, on June 1, a court had directed the Jaipur police department to investigate instances of cruelty against elephants used to provide joy rides at the Amer Fort and submit a report before it.It was informed, HSI/India had written several letters to the Centre and state government asking for the infected elephants to be quarantined in addition to the remaining of the untested elephants to be further tested for tuberculosis.N G Jayasimha, managing director of HSI India said, “We welcome the news of infected elephants being quarantined and not being used at rides. However, segregation is not enough. We urge the forest department to move the elephants from Haathi Gaon, where they currently reside, to a lifelong care and treatment facility and rehabilitated in a Central Zoo Authority (CZA) recognized rehabilitation centre. We also urge the police to prosecute the owners for wilfully violating the law.”

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