Elephant spikes: K’taka asked to file affidavit

■ Apex court had termed use of spikes, fireballs ‘ barbaric’

New Delhi, Aug. 20: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Karnataka government to file a detailed affidavit on the steps taken by it to remove spikes and fireballs which are used to drive away elephants, following a direction.

The apex court had a few weeks ago termed as “barbaric” the use of spikes and fireballs to drive away elephants and had directed the states to desist from using such methods.

The court’s directions had come after it was told that these methods were being allegedly adopted in states like Karnataka, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha. It was hearing a petition, which had raised the issue of tenders for procuring spikes and fireballs allegedly issued in these states.

On Monday, the Karnataka government told a bench comprising Justices

Madan B. Lokur, S. Abdul Nazeer and Deepak Gupta that in July itself,

the state authority had written letters to all concerned officers to remove these spikes and the process was continuing. However, the counsel for the petitioner claimed that Karnataka has admitted in their affidavit that the spikes would take around six months to be removed.

At this, the bench said, “Six months is too long.” Karnataka’s counsel referred to the affidavit filed by the state and said they have made a categorical statement that all the spikes would be removed.

The lawyer said that as far as time- frame of six months was concerned, she would take instructions and reply.

Additional Solicitor General ( ASG) A. N. S. Nadkarni, appearing for the ministry of environment, forest and climate change, told the bench that one of the officers of the state had given a statement that the spikes would not be removed till some other measures are put in place.