Ramesh asked to reconsider sending of jumbos to Turkmenistan

In a letter to the minister,  People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India claimed that the decision was a blatant violation of the Central Zoo Authority's (CZA) recent directive requiring that all elephants presently confined to zoos be shifted to camps, tiger reserves or forest department facilities at national parks.

"The miserable living conditions of elephants in zoos as well as the danger that the animals pose to the public prompted the CZA to initiate the directive.

"It's shocking that the government would allow and even support actions that would be illegal in India to occur elsewhere", said Poorva Joshipura, a Peta activist, in a statement issued here.

The Environment Ministry recently gave approval for sending two elephants to a zoo in Turkmenistan which had requested for donation of two jumbos.

It had asked the CZA to execute the proposal under the animal exchange programme.