Shelter for elephants coming up in Haryana

Many would remember the famous 70s movie based on man-animal friendship, 'Haathi Mere Saathi'. Now, real life is all set to imitate reel with the first-of-its kind rehabilitation centre for ageing and sick elephants coming up in Yamunanagar in Haryana. The centre will be operational by end of this year. The centre, spread over 450 acres, is situated alongside Kalesar wildlife sanctuary. Apart from being a home to the 'disabled' jumbos, the centre would also offer medical-cum-resting facilities to them. With this, Haryana would become the fourth state in the country after Orissa, Kerala and Karnataka to have a home for pachyderms. But, the Yamunanagar centre would be the largest in the country for providing medical-cum-resting facility to elephants, where elephants can "check in" for some time to rejuvenate and get back to work. In Haryana, the project was planned on around 450 acres of Ba Santaur village in Yamunanagar district and was supposed to be started in 2009. There was a delay of three years because of lack of co-ordination between central and state government agencies. The project was planned by the Centre for the first time in the country in 2006 on the lines of the 'Project Tiger' for the rehabilitation and recapturing of ailing and destitute pachyderms -- both domesticated and in the wild. According to wildlife department officials, there have been numerous cases when elephants have been left to fend for themselves after being rendered incapacitated from circuses and private owners. Haryana chief wildlife warden R K Sapra said nine sheds have been constructed at the centre for elephants and work on solar fencing is on. According to the scheme, Haryana would fix solar power fences and GI wires, construct 10 elephant sheds, excavate ponds for elephants, erect deep tube wells and construct quarters for staff like vet and mahouts.