'Elephant Village' to provide natural environment for pachyderms

Jaipur, June 28: Pachyderms in the proposed 'elephant village' near the famous Amer fort here, will be provided "natural nvironment" and their owners would be specially trained for their care.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje stated this at London yesterday, while participating in a programme organised by charitable trust Elephant Family. Mrs Raje was present in the programme as a special guest of Prince Charles and his wife Camilla Parker.

Camilla' brother Mark Shand plays an important role in the Elephant Family' Trust and has done commendable work for the animale here.

Mrs Raje said an Elephant Welfare Society has been formed in Amer which takes care of the pachyderms during their illness and also during old age.

The money collected by the society is spent on the welfare of the elephants. Keeping in mind their health, elephant rides in Amer have been divided into two rounds. Jaipur's Help In Suffering (HIS) has set up a centre at Amer's Tehsil Chowk for its veterinary doctors who look after the elephants.

Mrs Raje said health camps are organised for elephants annually.

UNI