The Hindu, India
November 9, 2004
CONFLICTING REPORTS ABOUT CAUSE OF ELEPHANT’S DEATH
Our Staff Correspondent
There have been conflicting reports over the death of the
eight-year-old elephant Komala that was to fly out to Armenia as a
Gift of Goodwill.’ The animal died on October 22 barely a few days
before it was to be gifted to Yerevan Zoo in Armenia.
It is learnt that the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report
received by the Police Department rules out poisoning, while the
member-secretary of the Karnataka Zoo Authority, R.S. Suresh, today
claimed that the report that they received from Institute of Animal
Health and Biologicals suggested poisoning as the cause of death.
In the light of conflicting reports, the governing council of the zoo
decided to meet the Police Commissioner, Praveen Sood, to find out
the contents of the report submitted by the FSL.
Even as the reports were received by these two agencies, the
governing council of the zoo met here. The meeting was attended by
the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, R.M. Ray; the executive
director the zoo; Manoj Kumar; the Mayor, Dakshinamurthy; and the zoo
authority chairperson, Susheela Keshavamurthy. While taking stock of
the situation, the meeting took the versions of the employees, who
all along have been demanding action against veterinary doctors for
alleged dereliction of duty. The closed-door meeting discussed steps
to be initiated to protect the animals and other measures to be taken
to improve the situation in the zoo.
<subheadline> Complaints
</subheadline>
Mr. Suresh told presspersons after the meeting that they had received
complaints from the employees against the veterinarians, and that
some had complained even against the zoo Deputy Director,
Chandrashekar. Measures, both administrative and security, had been
taken to strengthen the security at the zoo, and the security officer
of the zoo, Govindaraju’s services had been discontinued already, he
said.
Mr. Suresh said that of the three doctors, one had been transferred
already, and measures were being taken to appoint another
veterinarian on contract. Meanwhile, the employees of Sri
Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens demanded action against the doctors
in the light of the FSL report.