UDHAGAMANDALAM: For the gentle giants that welcome devotees in temples, the 48-day special camp came as a boon, as they are back to their natural habitats — after a gap of five years — thanks to Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s initiative.The camp for temple pachyderms was inaugurated at Theppakadu in Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary on Wednesday. This is the fourth camp held in TN.However, the venue is different this time as the previous camps, in 2003, 2004 and 2005, were conducted at the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary. While the previous camps started in November and ended in December, this year, it will go on till January. This delay has been attributed to a case filed by environmentalists in the High Court, which dismissed their petition, thus giving the green signal to the camp.Grand DietThe objective is to provide mineral and nutrient supplements and a special diet consisting of rice, green gram, horse gram, ragi, jaggery and chavanprash, informed Forest Minister KT Pachaimal explained. In addition to that, the usual quota of 250kg of fodder with herbal medicine will also be given. The health of the animals will be checked daily. Further, pure drinking water in drums would be used to quench the jumbos’ thirst. No EntryDuring the duration of the camp, tourists would not be allowed into the camp site spread over 10 acres.
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