Bijlee Had Been Working Non-Stop For 51 Years
Vijay Singh TNN
Mumbai: An injured elephant, Bijlee, which had collapsed on Tuesday near Wockhardt hospital in Mulund, collapsed once again on Thursday. Animal rights activists have found out that Bijlee had been continuously working for her owner for the last 51 years without any break. She is 54 years old and ailing.
Since her collapse on Tuesday, when Bijlee had to be lifted with a crane, the elephant was undergoing treatment for a serious maggot injury and fatigue.
“Bijlee’s case is typical of what other elephants in the city face. They are forced to beg, work at weddings and other religious ceremonies by their masters. And when they become too old to carry on, they collapse like this,’’ said activist Ganesh Nayak of the NGO Animals Matter To Me (AMTM).
AMTM has now taken a written undertaking from Bijlee’s owner that for the next four months, the elephant will be under the NGO’s care so that she can regain her health.
The elephant had first collapsed on Tuesday due to the maggot injury in the hind leg. Even as she was being treated and fed fruits like bananas, she once again collapsed on Thursday. A crane had to be arranged to lift up Bijlee. “Despite being a Schedule 1 protected species under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, elephants are often ill-treated and made to beg in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai. The authorities must ensure that this does not happen,” said Nayak. He added that the official permit and related documents for Bijlee’s ownership had expired five years ago.
AMTM is spending around Rs 1,500 per day for the elephant’s medical care and food. “There is a Bombay high court order that restricts the entry of elephants into Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai. But mahouts openly flout this order. We appeal to the state forest department to come up with a fool-proof plan to stop this cruel exploitation,” said AMTM veterinarian, Dr Ankita Pathak.
Atent has been put up in Mulund to house the elephant in order to carry out her medical treatment.
The 54-year-old elephant is being treated for maggot injuries on her leg and fatigue
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