The Hindu Business Line : NGO to provide insurance cover to mahouts

Elephant Care, a non-profit voluntary society for protection of domesticated elephants by providing a dignified environment to these pachyderms, would provide a free life insurance cover up to Rs 1 lakh to mahouts.

The EC has decided to extend the life insurance scheme to the mahouts for two reasons, said Mr E. Nandakumar, Secretary of the society. Primarily, they are the most ignored group when it comes to the elephant world and second, because the eligibility criteria could also serve as a check on the ill-treatment meted out to scores of elephants, he said.

The insurance offer is, therefore, extended to those mahouts who hold exemplary love for their elephants in their care.

The programme, he said, aims at helping the mahouts discover the immense responsibility vested on their shoulders. Mahouts who understand their responsibilities and resolve to love and care for the animal in their care will be sponsored for the life long coverage. Kerala has large number of domesticated elephants with the majority owned by the Devaswom Boards, which control and administer the temples in the State. It is alleged that most of these elephants are not properly looked after mainly due to frequent transfers of mahouts and appointment of untrained and temporary recruits to manage the intelligent huge animal.

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