Steps under way to conduct Jaya’s pet annual elephant camp project

Though the dates for the camp has not been finalised, the letter sought help from the forest department, in coordination with the health department, to arrange for a temporary medical camp for temple mahouts and their assistants. It also hinted at the location of the camp as Thekkampatti on the banks of River Bhavani near Vanabadrakali Amman Temple at Mettupalayam. 

Thekkampatti has hosted the camps from 2012. HR & CE officials here said that they are yet to get any information in this connection. Officials from both the departments said the letter to the forest department could have been dispatched a couple of days ago when Jayalalithaa was undergoing treatment in the hospital. But they are optimistic that the present government would still organise the camp as it her pet project. 

“Jayalalithaa had a liking for jumbos. Domesticated jumbos that are used for ritual purposes are not in their natural habitat. She wanted camps to be organised for such elephants to make them enjoy the natural habitat. For the first few years the camp was conducted at one place for temple and the department’s elephants at Mudumalai. Over the last three years it has been held separately for temple and captive elephants alone,” a senior department official said. First organised in the year 2003, it was held annually till 2005. 

When AIADMK came back to power in 2011, the camp has been resumed again. This year would be the ninth camp for temple and private elephants. “We have the expertise and experience in organising such camps. Once we get the date it would only take a week to prepare the five-acre venue,” a senior department official said. Arrangements that will be made by the forest department include cleaning the area, erecting solar fencing and alarm system to avoid entry of wild elephants into the camp and deploying manpower. Transportation of jumbos and fund for feed and medicines will be met by the HR & CE department.