Jaipur: PETA India urged the Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlothim to stop elephant rides at the Amer Fort and Elephant Village highlighting the grave risk of tourists contracting TB from elephants.
In the specific letter to the CM, PETA follows the evidence that inadequately and not tested elephants are being used for rides. Even some elephants previously tested reactive for TB, received insufficient treatment and inadequate prevention and control protocol was followed, it said.The PETA also said elephant rides in Jaipur were apparently illegal as per the response received under the Right to Information Act, 2005.
The group submitted evidence to the CM's Office on how TB test kits used by the Rajasthan Forest Department (RFD) weren't specific to elephants which was not approved by any regulatory body. It recklessly declared TB-free seven of the 10 elephants which was found reactive for TB in 2018 by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI).The situation worsened when one of the ten elephants was tested reactive for TB and soon died before any action could be taken. "Only 10 were tested for TB and still 134 elephants are used for rides at the Amer Fort which leaves 32 % untested", it said.
A 2018 WBIA report revealed shocking cruelty to elephants used for rides in Jaipur and prompted PETA India to intervene in the matter before the Supreme Court.
This report stated how four elephants that died within five months in 2017 indicated the animals suffering from respiratory diseases , possibly TB.
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