Tamil Nadu Government Gazette, No. 39, Part III, Section 1(a) (39 III 1 a)

What the Gazette covers

The Tamil Nadu Government Gazette, No. 39, Part III, Section 1(a), publishes general statutory rules and notifications issued by Secretariat Departments. The supplied text contains a co-operative societies amendment and detailed rules for captive elephants. Its contents page also lists an amendment to the Special Rules for the Tamil Nadu Police Subordinate Service, but the supplied text does not provide that amendment.

The supplied notifications do not create or change land ownership, registration, planning permission or property transfer requirements. They may affect temples, institutions or property occupiers that own, receive, house or use captive elephants.

Co-operative societies amendment

G.O. Ms. No. 79 of the Co-operation, Food and Consumer Protection Department, dated 20th September 2011, substitutes a provision in the Tamil Nadu Co-operative Societies Rules, 1988.

The amendment provides that the Managing Director or Special Officer of the Central Co-operative Bank concerned, as applicable, shall be the Member Secretary.

Captive elephant management

G.O.Ms. No. 107 of the Environment and Forests Department, dated 16th September 2011, makes the Tamil Nadu Captive Elephants (Management and Maintenance) Rules, 2011. The rules came into force on 16th September 2011 and apply to elephants captured, kept or bred in captivity.

Key requirements include:

• A temple may accept a donated elephant only after prior permission from the Chief Wildlife Warden. A State Level Committee must examine the elephant's health, age and pedigree, as well as the infrastructure and financial position of the temple and donor.
• Each elephant must have an experienced mahout and cavady. Training by the Forest Department is compulsory, and the owner or relevant temple authority must bear the fixed training cost.
• Owners must provide clean, shaded housing, earth and sand for foot care, ventilated sheds, drainage and a bathing pool.
• Elephants must receive daily bathing, veterinary attention, preventive treatment, annual Anthrax vaccination and an annual disease screening.
• Minimum daily green fodder and maximum work loads depend on the elephant's height. Loads must be reduced by fifty per cent in hilly or difficult terrain.
• Elephants must not be used for begging. Elephants in musth, certain pregnant elephants, elephants with young suckling calves and elephants below specified height limits must not be put to work.
• Deaths must be reported within twenty four hours. Ownership certificates must be surrendered, and postmortem and tusk reporting requirements apply.