Case against Cochin Devaswom Board in Kerala for violating distance norms while parading elephants at temple

Legal proceedings initiated against Cochin Devaswom Board officials for violating elephant parade distance norms at temple festival.

Two officials of the Cochin Devaswom Board (CBD) are facing legal proceedings for failing to maintain the prescribed minimum distance between elephants that were paraded at the Sree Poornathrayeesa temple festival in Ernakulam, Kerala, on Monday (December 2, 2024).

The Social Forestry wing of the Forest department has booked a case against the Devaswom Officer and the Assistant Devaswom Commissioner of the temple for violating the norms for the Thrikketta Pooram, which was held on Monday evening as part of the ongoing Vrischikotsavam of the temple. The CBD is organising the temple festival.

Though the elephants were paraded by maintaining a minimum distance of 3 metres between the animals, as instructed by the Kerala High Court, during the first three days of the festival, all 15 elephants were paraded together on Monday evening. The minimum distance norms between the paraded elephants and people, and elephants and flambeaus (theevetti, the flaming torch used during temple festivals), were not maintained. The animals were also paraded for five hours together, which was also in violation of the rules, according to forest officials.

The temple authorities were asked to maintain a minimum distance of 8 metres between people and the paraded elephants and 5 metres between elephants and theevetti. The officials of the Forest department, who are at the temple site, are keeping a watch of the developments. The animals were paraded in two rows and maintained the distance norms in the first two days, the officials said.

Section 10 (4) of the Kerala Captive Elephant (Management and Maintenance) Rules, 2012, specifies that there shall be sufficient space between elephants used in processions and parades. It has also stated that the flambeaus should be held away from elephants.

The Kerala High Court had recently issued instructions regarding the conduct of elephant parades and the distance to be maintained in such events, the official said.