Bangalore : State Minister for Forest and Ecology B Ramanatha Rai has informed the Legislative Council that the government plans to regularise the services of mahouts and  other daily wage earners in various elephant camps in the state  in  a phased manner.

The Minister said a total of 83 posts of Mahouts and Kavadigas who take care of elephants  have been sanctioned and the same would be filled soon.

Replying to a question from ruling party member Govindaraju, the minister said  elephants are being reared at the  Dubare elephant camp at Madikeri,  Sakkare open elephant camp in Shimoga, Mattigod elephant camp, Balle, Chamrajnagar, Bandipur and Ramapura camps. A sum of Rs 2 lakh is spent on  food of each elephant annually, he informed.

A total of 97 elephants are being reared in the state, he said adding only 84 posts of mahouts have been sanctioned while 14 more posts need to be filled.  He further said there is no plan to release to the forests those elephants which take part in Mysore Dasara and are now aged.