High-Powered Committee Tells Vantara To Send Elephant 'Madhuri' Back To Mutt In Kolhapur

Mumbai: The Supreme Court-appointed High-Powered Committee, headed by former Supreme Court (SC) Justice Deepak Verma, has issued orders for a government health check-up of the 36-year-old elephant Madhuri. The animal has been at the centre of a controversy ever since it was relocated in July to Vantara — Reliance Foundation's zoological rescue and rehabilitation centre in Gujarat's Jamnagar — from a Jain mutt in Nandani, Kohlapur, Maharashtra.

The elephant, which had lived in the Swastishri Jinsen Bhattarak Pattacharya Mahaswamy Sanstha all its life, was relocated — following an earlier court order in response to a case filed by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) India — once it was found that it suffered from arthritis.

However, the move elicited a wave of protests by devotees, who alleged that it failed to take account of the animal’s cultural significance to the mutt and the local community.

With Vantara under the spotlight due to this case, officials clarified that they never sought to acquire Madhuri, but were only fulfilling court orders. A spokesperson said, "If the court tells us to send Madhuri back to Kolhapur, we'll do so, and also provide facilities to take care of her at the mutt, just as she is being taken care of in Vantara."

Eventually, in response to the outcry, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met Vantara officials in August, to discuss the possibility of the iconic elephant's return to Nandini. Weeks later, the Jain mutt moved the Supreme Court-appointed High-Powered Committee, seeking Madhuri's return. With this order of the High-Powered Committee, the controversy may finally die down.

According to the order, a special team will examine Madhuri's health in Vantara on October 31. The medical check-up is to be jointly conducted by the state government, the Jain mutt at Nandini, and the Vantara administration.

While giving the order, the committee mentioned that all necessary permissions should be obtained within 20 days to return Madhuri from Jamnagar to Maharashtra. This includes permissions from the local planning authority, the forest department, the local administration and other relevant authorities.

Also part of the proposal that has been jointly prepared by advocate Manoj Patil, representing the Jain mutt, and the Vantara authorities, are plans for Vantara to set-up a well-equipped shelter in Nandani to take care of Madhuri, for which, the Committee was told that the Jain mutt will provide land in Nandani village. Taking note of this, the Committee issued orders for Madhuri's relocation.

The next hearing in the case before the High-Powered Committee is scheduled for November 29.

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