(1.) The writ petitioner, a naturalist having interest in preservation of wildlife came forward with this Public Interest Litigation(PIL), for a direction to respondents 1 to 6 not to take camp elephants from Mudumalai Tiger Reserve and Aanamalai Tiger Reserve to the elephant rejuvenation camp being held at Thekkampatti in Coimbatore District from 19.12.2013 to 04.02.2014.
(2.) Annually during December-January, the Tamil Nadu Government conducts rejuvenation camp for elephants. Now, for the current year 2013-2014, such a camp is being held in a vast area adjacent to Bhavani river bed in Thekkampatti in Mettupalayam Taluk in Coimbatore District. This rejuvenation camp is for domesticated elephants in certain temples, mutts and captive elephants in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve and in Aanamalai Tiger Reserve camp also known as 'camp elephants'.
(3.) The grievance of the petitioner is that the domesticated elephants are afflicted with certain contagious diseases such as Tuberculosis, herpes, haemmhorghic septicemia, foot and mouth etc., because of their human habitation. However, since the camp elephants are allowed to live in natural habitation, they are free from such diseases. In such circumstances, conducting rejuvenation camp for both type of elephants together will result in camp elephants acquiring such diseases. It is not in the best interest and preservation of camp elephants. Thus, he wants that the camp elephants should not be sent to the rejuvenation camp.