Supreme Court directs Centre to set up specialised clinics for captive elephants

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Centre to issue guidelines and coordinate with states for establishing specialised clinics to which owners of captive elephants will take the animals for periodic health check-ups.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana issued the directives while considering a 2014 public interest litigation concerning captivity, trafficking, treatment and rehabilitation of elephants across India.

The bench said the clinics must have specialised facilities for diagnosis and treatment of elephants, given their unique medical needs. “Captive elephants require specialised veterinary care. A proper mechanism needs to be put in place to monitor their health,” the bench said.

The direction is part of the court's efforts to address the welfare of elephants held in captivity across the country, including those in Tamil Nadu and other states.