MYSURU: At a time when Kodagu is reeling under floods, and thousands of people in the district have been displaced, the forest department has decided to postpone the Gajapayana – the traditional march of the elephants from the forest to Mysuru – which was scheduled on Thursday to the first week of September.The elephants start their march from Ashrama School in Veeranahosahalli Haadi in Hunsur taluk on the borders of Kodagu district. The forest department had agreed to conduct the Gajapayana on August 23 following directions from the district administration.However, the devastating floods in Kodagu, where landslides have rendered hundreds homeless, the state government’s priorities have changed, and all their efforts are now focused on rescuing the hapless people of the district where the Cauvery takes birth.Mysuru district in-charge minister GT Devegowda called the deputy conservator of forests (wildlife) Siddaramappa, and suggested that it would be best to postpone Gajapayana to September.Moreover, the high-powered committee for Dasara , which is headed by the chief minister is yet to meet, and prepare a detailed plan for the Naada Habba celebrations. “We have reworked our plan for Gajapayana,” said Siddaramappa.The DCF said that, instead of the original programme, wherein the forest department had planned on sending the first batch of elephants from Dubare Elephant Camp in Kodagu, the officials have decided to send the jumbos from Mathikodu camp in the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve. “The elephants from Dubare camp will be sent from the Dubare camp once the situation in Kodagu returns to normalcy,” Siddaramappa said.

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