IAS officer feeding wild jumbo in Chamarajanagar draws flak (State of
Karnataka, India)
TR Satish Kumar, The Deccan Herald
January 15, 2021
See link
https://www.deccanherald.com/state/karnataka-districts/ias-officer-feeding-wild-jumbo-in-chamarajanagar-draws-flak-939322.html
for photos.
Photos of an IAS officer posing with a wild elephant and feeding it at
Himavad Gopalswamy Betta, behind Gopalswamy Temple, in Gunlupet taluk,
Chamarajanagar district, has gone viral on social media.
B B Cauvery, now Director, Directorate of Urban Development, has
advertently or inadvertently, transgressed wildlife regulations, by feeding
a wild elephant on the Gopalswamy Hill under Bandipur Tiger Reserve.
She had visited the temple on Wednesday. “It is baffling that the Forest
Department officials have allowed the temple personnel and also devotees to
lure and feed elephants. Elephants are frequent visitors to the temple to
relish the 'prasada' offered by the temple staff and devotees,” said
environment activists.
“The results could impact local communities on the periphery of the
Bandipur Tiger Reserve. Elephants could enter hamlets, expecting people to
offer fruits and other food items. But whenever there is a human casualty,
it will be the elephants who will be blamed as rogues. Then they will be
captured and kept in an elephant camp,” said nature activists.
If the range forest officer and other personnel of Gopalswamy Betta range
had been vigilant, they could have cautioned the temple staff to avoid such
offerings, they said. Bandipur Project Director was not available for
comment.
https://www.deccanherald.com/state/karnataka-districts/ias-officer-feeding-wild-jumbo-in-chamarajanagar-draws-flak-939322.html
IAS officer feeding wild jumbo in Chamarajanagar draws flak (State of
Karnataka, India)
TR Satish Kumar, The Deccan Herald
January 15, 2021
See link
<https://www.deccanherald.com/state/karnataka-districts/ias-officer-feeding-wild-jumbo-in-chamarajanagar-draws-flak-939322.html>
for photos.
Photos of an IAS officer posing with a wild elephant and feeding it at
Himavad Gopalswamy Betta, behind Gopalswamy Temple, in Gunlupet taluk,
Chamarajanagar district, has gone viral on social media.
B B Cauvery, now Director, Directorate of Urban Development, has
advertently or inadvertently, transgressed wildlife regulations, by feeding
a wild elephant on the Gopalswamy Hill under Bandipur Tiger Reserve.
She had visited the temple on Wednesday. “It is baffling that the Forest
Department officials have allowed the temple personnel and also devotees to
lure and feed elephants. Elephants are frequent visitors to the temple to
relish the 'prasada' offered by the temple staff and devotees,” said
environment activists.
“The results could impact local communities on the periphery of the
Bandipur Tiger Reserve. Elephants could enter hamlets, expecting people to
offer fruits and other food items. But whenever there is a human casualty,
it will be the elephants who will be blamed as rogues. Then they will be
captured and kept in an elephant camp,” said nature activists.
If the range forest officer and other personnel of Gopalswamy Betta range
had been vigilant, they could have cautioned the temple staff to avoid such
offerings, they said. Bandipur Project Director was not available for
comment.
https://www.deccanherald.com/state/karnataka-districts/ias-officer-feeding-wild-jumbo-in-chamarajanagar-draws-flak-939322.html