Ramesh seeks clarity from govt on genetic profiling of 'captive elephants' while transporting

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday urged Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav to clarify on a recent circular to states on transport of captive elephants, asking how exactly is his ministry establishing the genetic profile of each elephant and who is generating this data and maintaining the database.

In a letter to Yadav, Ramesh said that on August 20, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change reminded the Elephant Range States of the Captive Elephant (Transfer or Transport) Rules, 2024.

"In particular attention was drawn to the provision of clause (7) Terms and Conditions, sub-clause (3) which mandates that 'No transfer of an elephant shall be permissible unless genetic profile of the elephant has been entered in the electronic monitoring application of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change'," the former environment minister said in his letter to Yadav.

My letter to the Honourable Minister of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change on the latest circular to states on the transfer and transport of captive elephants pic.twitter.com/oGLMRKZMwb

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) August 23, 2024

Ramesh said this condition itself raises four issues on which there is need for clarity in the public domain.

How exactly is the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change establishing the genetic profile of each elephant, Ramesh asked.

"Who is generating this data and maintaining this database? How exactly does the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change intend to use this genetic data for the protection of captive and wild elephants?" he said.

"I presume that we have the laboratory infrastructure with the necessary sequencing facilities," Ramesh said.