Mahouts not to send elephants for Mysore Dasara

They demand regularisation of their service

The Mahouts of Dubare elephant camp have said that they will not send any elephants from Dubare elephant camp to the world famous Mysore Dasara, next month.

Urging the authorities to regularise their service and to provide boat facility to cross river Cauvery and to build a hanging bridge across Cauvery, the mahouts have decided not to send the elephants.

There are 19 tamed elephants in Dubare camp, of which, the authorities had decided to send four elephants namely Vikram, Harsha, Vijaya and Kaveri for Dasara jamboo savari.

At present, the Dubare camp has only Kaveri elephant. Two other elephants namely Vikram and Vijaya have been shifted to Nisargadhama and Harsha has been sent to Aanekadu camp.

As per the tradition, all the four elephants will be brought to Dubare camp and offered with a pooja before sending them to Mysore.

Dubare camp has 26 Mahouts whose services have been regularised. The remaining 10 are functioning on a contract basis. 

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Mahout J K Dobi said “we have appealed to the State government in the past to fulfill our demands.

However, the State government has failed to fulfill our demands. Hence, we are forced to stage a protest during Dasara.”

Former Mysore District-in-Charge Minister Shobha Karandlaje had regularised the services of Mahouts in the last two years. However, the remaining mahouts have not been regularised.

“Looking after an elephant is a challenging and risky affair. The government should atleast respect our demands,” he said.

“We had urged State Wildlife Board Vice-President Anil Kumble to fulfill our demands during his recent visit to Dubare. Kumble had promised to make arrangement for a boating facility. However, the promises have remained only on paper,” mahouts said.

There are about 80 to 90 families including tribals and mahouts residing on the banks of river Cauvery.

The tribals and the mahouts have to depend on tourists boat, for crossing the river. There is a need for hanging bridge in the region, said mahouts J B Vasanth, Vijaya, Rajanna.

Proposal to govt

Kodagu Circle Conservator of Forest Deekshith said that a proposal has been sent to the government to regularise the services of mahouts in the month of April itself. However, there was no reply from the government.

He said “for regularising the service, mahouts should have worked for ten years as a daily wage labourers and must have passed minimum seventh standard. However, none of the mahouts fulfill the conditions.

A proposal has been sent to the government to simplify the procedures.”