Rejuvenation camp for elephants begins

A total of 30 elephants from various temples and mutts across Tamil Nadu are attending the annual elephant rejuvenation camp, which began today at Thekkampatti on the banks of Bhavani river at Mettupalayam in the district.
Another four elephants are expected to join the camp in a couple of days, which will conclude on March 10, official sources said.
The camp, a pet project of former Chief Minister late J Jayalalithaa, was inaugurated by HR and CE commissioner, Veershanmughamani.
There will be special diet for the pachyderms, taking into account their age and body status.
Besides sugarcane, banana and palm leaves, the elephants will be fed ragi, rice, horse grams and green grams with special medicines prescribed by the veterinarians from time to time, they said.

To prevent the straying and attack by wild elephants, as happened during last year, solar fence has been erected at two kms around the camp, with special accommodation provided for mahouts.
To monitor the camp, 16 CCTV cameras have been installed, along with an high tower surveillance camera.