In court, he claimed that the state government had arranged the evacuation of Joymala and eight other Assamese elephants have been present in Tamil Nadu.
Digital Desk: The Gauhati High Court issued an order on Friday directing the Tamil Nadu government to enable a four-member Assam team to "inspect" and "check" Joymala's health status - an adult Assam elephant held hostage at a temple in the southern state - within three days of getting the order.
The court ordered it to give police security to the team "as may be appropriate in the facts and circumstances of the case."
On September 2, the Assam government dispatched a team led by Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Hirdesh Mishra to Tamil Nadu to assess the health of the elephant that was reportedly abused.
According to Assam's Advocate General Devajit Saikia, the state government filed a writ petition in court after the Tamil Nadu government refused to allow the delegation to visit the temple and evaluate Joymala's health.
He claimed in court that the state administration had made plans for Joymala's return, as well as the return of eight other Assam elephants who had been sent to Tamil Nadu.
"Initially, the Forest Department of the State of Tamil Nadu granted a NOC for the release of the elephants and requested that the Assam Government cover the expense of keeping the elephants in prison until their return to Assam." The Assam government had promised to shoulder such costs as well. However, no reaction has been received from (Tamil Nadu) departmental officials since then," the court stated.
The court further stated that, according to the scenario outlined in the writ petition, Joymala was transported to Tamil Nadu on the basis of a NOC and Transit Pass issued by the Assam government on September 8, 2011, allowing the animal to be kept in the Nachiyar Temple, Srivilliputhur, for a period of three years.
However, it claimed that the elephant had not been returned back to Assam after the NOC's term had ended.
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