The Madras High Court on Thursday directed the Puducherry government to make sure that the Manakula Vinayagar Temple elephant, Lakshmi, was provided proper nutrition, allowed to move about freely and subjected to periodical medical check-up.
A Bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and R. Hemalatha instructed Additional Government Pleader D. Ravichander to make sure that a status report on the health condition of the elephant and facilities provided to it is filed in the court by September 3.
The interim order was passed on a case filed by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to quash Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy’s July 16 order to bring back the 30-year-old pachyderm to the temple from Krishi Vigyan Kendra campus in Kurumbapet.
The animal welfare organisation has also sought for a consequential direction to rehabilitate the elephant by sending her to a sanctuary or a rehabilitation centre where she could live unchained and receive much needed veterinary care besides being able to socialise with other elephants.
