The Madukkarai Maharaj episode is trending big time around the city and it looks like the issue is taking a full new course.
The incident has created perturbation amongst the animal welfare NGO's and environmentalists. Today, evening around 5:00 pm a group of environmentalists, representatives from animal welfare NGO's, human rights, and public marched towards the Red Cross Society, Upplipalayam to stage a protest against the forest department that handled the Madukkarai Maharaj Mission. The featured issues that were focused at the protest are:
1. To take stern action on Dr. Manoharan, the Veterinarian deployed for the mission. Protesters strongly allege that elevated doses of medication used to tranquillise the pachyderm has ultimately caused the death.
2. Government should initiate vigorous action plans to seize encroachments around Madukkarai region with immediate effect.
3. The need of the hour is to create a peaceful and liberated living environment for the animals,leaving their habitat and natural surroundings unaltered.
The protest was led by Advocate Venmadhi along with humans rights secretary S. Balamurugan, animal welfare NGO's, naturalist and environmentalist, participated in large numbers. They put-forth a contemplating insight, that the news about elephants shattering farmlands are being sensationalised and orchestrated by the corporate organisations in a different angle to the public. The intention being to divert public's attention from encroachments done by educational institutions, spiritual organisations, private resorts and farmlands and ACC cement factory around Madukkarai area.