Repeated efforts to reach the former CWW on the phone to get his version on the issue went unanswered. However, sources mentioned that the said person's contention is that the authority for the exchange of domesticated elephants lies with the chief wildlife warden
Representation pic
A former chief wildlife warden (CWW) of Uttarakhand faces action for allegedly exchanging four elephant calves of the Corbett Tiger Reserve with four adult tuskers from a man from Gujarat without having permission from the Centre to do so, officials said on Saturday. Parag Madhukar Dhakate's decision to allow the exchange without informing central government officials was a serious error, Uttarakhand Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal said.
Repeated efforts to reach the former CWW on the phone to get his version on the issue went unanswered. However, sources mentioned that the said person's contention is that the authority for the exchange of domesticated elephants lies with the chief wildlife warden.
In 2024, the forest ministry made rules for the exchange and transport of domesticated elephants, which included the condition of the need for permission from the central government. But in 2022, when the exchange of the animals happened, the rules did not require such permission and the swap happened as per the norms existed then. Therefore, there is nothing against the rules in this, the sources said.
Forest department sources said that an investigation into the alleged "unlawful" exchange has been conducted and a report has been sent to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who forwarded it to the chief secretary for further action. On February 8, 2022, Dhakate, without waiting for the Union government's nod, gave his approval to Mahant Jagdish Das of the Radha Krishna Temple in Jamnagar, Gujarat, to take away four elephant calves during his tenure as the CWW, they claimed.
PTI is in possession of the letter purportedly written by Dhakate, permitting Das to transport the male elephant calves. Although Dhakate sought permission for the transfer, he did not wait for a response from the Centre, which finally turned down the request, the minister said. The transport permit issued by Dhakate for the elephants clearly stated that Mahant Jagdish Das would update the Gujarat CWW on their status and ensure their safety during transportation.
However, the reason for Dhakate's urgency in going through with the exchange of elephants, which are a protected species under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, with responsibility for their protection shared between the central and state governments, remains unclear.
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