Parliamentary panel warns against sale, purchase of captive elephants

New Delhi: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh chaired a Parliamentary panel that has warned against promoting the sale and purchase of captive elephants and recommended imposing a careful balance between tradition and conversation, PTI reported.

Regarding the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2021, the Parliamentary Committee prepared a report in which it stated that the committee is deeply conscious that many religious and cultural institutions in some states own elephants. These elephants play a crucial role in worship and related rituals, it said.

In the report submitted to Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu virtually, the panel said it strongly agrees with amendments proposed for the improved care for wild animals in captivity. But one of the amendments that mandate the transfer or transport of elephants as per the Central government's prescriptions has the government "has raised serious concern in the wildlife conservation community including amongst some state governments," the report said.

The committee suggested that all the clauses which may result in encouraging the sale and purchase of captive elephants must be amended. A clause that proposed to ensure a future pathway of acquisition of elephants by religious institutions must be deleted, the report strongly recommended said.

Further, the panel suggested that such additional terms and conditions will be finalised after consultations with individuals and institutions that are active in elephant conservation, protection and welfare. The rules should also have explicit provisions for remedial action if the additional terms and conditions are not fulfilled, the report added.

It was on December 17, 2021, that The Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill 2021 was introduced in Lok Sabha. The same was referred to a Parliamentary panel on December 25.