Elephant procession doubtful

HYDERABAD: The age-old tradition of taking out Bonalu procession on an elephant might soon become a part of history.With just over two weeks left for the Bonalu, a prominent Telangana festival, temple authorities of the Ujjaini Mahakali temple in Secunderabad and Mahakali temple in the Old City are hoping the state government gives permission for the elephant procession.  The reason is that the Nehru Zoological park has rejected to provide an elephant for the Bonalu jatara on July 18. The assistant commissioner and executive officer of the Endowment department, Sri Ujjaini Mahakali Temple had written to the curator of the Nehru zoo, MA Waheed requesting him to provide an elephant for the procession.  But the curator shot back a letter informing that as per government orders (GOM 132 issued in December 2009), use of elephant for procession was banned by the government. MA Waheed added the government had issued the order to stop using animals for the procession, as they were allegedly being subjected to torture.  The government also directed the principal chief conservator of forests to return the elephant to the Nizam Trust for further maintenance and use.Meanwhile, the Mahakali Temple Committee has appealed to the minister for Major Industries and Hyderabad district in-charge, J Geeta Reddy to take personal interest in the issue. Geetha Reddy said the government would take up the issue with the Union Ministry of Forest and Environment to find a permanent solution.