The temple elephant Lakshmi, a favourite among devotees, tourists and children, is returning to the Manakular Vinayagar temple after undergoing treatment and rejuvenation for over a month on the suburban Krishi Vigyan Kendra campus.
The elephant is likely to return to the temple in a day or two.
Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy has instructed the temple authorities to take custody of the elephant and ensure proper medical care and a healthy habitat.
The Chief Minister said that he had been receiving petitions from various organisations seeking the return of the pachyderm to the temple. The forest department had also concurred as veterinary doctors certified that the animal was in a healthy state.
As per the advice of the forest officials, the Sri Arilmigu Manakular Vinayagar Devasthanam should create a wider enclosure for the animal.
The elephant was relocated from the temple on June 8, following complaints by the Animal Welfare Board of India, activist group the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals and BJP MP Maneka Gandhi to the Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi, alleging repeated abuse of the animal and violations of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. PETA had also petitioned the Lt. Governor against bringing back the elephant to the temple even as several organisations had been demanding Lakshmi’s return.
A. Anbalagan, AIADMK legislature party leader, had urged the administration to take steps against PETA for “unnecessarily intervening in the religious faith of Tamil people and functioning against Tamil culture” and to bring back the elephant to the temple. The AIADMK would launch protests mobilising the people if the elephant was not returned to the temple, he said.
The escalation of the issue seems to have led to the decision to bring back the animal as the rejuvenation cycle was originally planned for a three-month period. By then, it was also hoped that there would be an improvement in the COVID-19 situation.
“The elephant was on track to proper rehabilitation under the supervision of a seven-member team of experts,” said Vanjulavalli Karthik, Deputy Conservator of Forests and wildlife biologist.
“The elephant has overcome the sloth that set in during the lockdown when even the limited walks were halted. Now, she is in much better shape walking average distances of 12 km every day,” the official said.
