HC issues contempt notice to state in elephant case

Jaipur, Jul 8: Rajasthan High Court has issued a contempt of court notice to the state government for not complying with the court's order to compensate elephant owners in view of the ban on tourist rides.

Justice Dalip Singh issued the notice yesterday after hearing a petition filed by Elephant Owner Development Society. The state government banned the tourist rides on elephants after a berserk jumbo had killed a tourist here.

The elephant owners had petitioned against the state government's decision in the High Court. The High Court on April 13 had ordered the state government to compensate the elephant owners with Rs 300 on a daily basis. But the state government failed to comply with the court's decision.

The High Court has issued contempt notices to tourism secretary Vinod Zutshi, animal husbandry Tapesh Pawan and forest secretary Sudarshan Sethi and asked them for explanation.

UNI