New Delhi:
Notices were issued to the Central Government, National Zoological Park and Central Zoo Authority by the Delhi High Court on a plea seeking translocation of the lone African elephant in Delhi who has reportedly remained in solitary captivity for nearly 17 years.
They have been directed to consider the petitioner’s representation and file their responses by March 9, Bar and Bench reported.
Besides them, a Bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh has also sought replies from the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government, Animal Welfare Board and Ministry of Environment Forests and Climate Change.
As per the plea, filed by a student named Nikita Dhawan, the Government of Zimbabwe gifted an African elephant couple, Shankar and Bombai, to India in 1998. However, due to “unyielding environment” Bombai passed away in 2005 and since then Shankar is held captive alone at the National Zoological Park in Delhi.
Citing an RTI response, it went on to mention that Shankar has been confined in dreadful conditions.
“It is also pertinent to highlight that within 100 meters distance from Shankar’s enclosure, there are multiple railway tracks, due to which there is constant noise and disturbance to the elephant. These disturbances are also one of the reasons for psychological trauma to Shankar, as elephants are extremely sensitive to sounds,” the petition states.
“There are various reports and pictures/videos of Shankar which glean out the brutality/inhumaneness sustained by Shankar within his confines. Shankar is shackled in chains in an enclosure which unforgivingly falls short of the prerequisites of the behemoth elephant coupled with his merciless handling. The cruelty exhibited towards Shankar departs beyond physical in nature and forays into psychological abuse as well,” the petition added.
Therefore, the petitioner has prayed that Shankar should be released into a wildlife sanctuary which houses several African elephants.
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