new delhi in a step that is likely to expand the ambit of rti usage the delhi high court on wednesday permitted an animal welfare organization based in the capital to seek information under the rti act on welfare of two elephants scheduled to be sent to germany in an exchange programme in return for two cheetahsa division bench comprising chief justice dipak misra and justice sanjiv khanna said the organization animal and birds charitable trust had the right to access periodical reports from germany about the health conditions of the two pachyderms from the centre central zoo authority and the animal welfare board under the rti acthcs permission came during the hearing of a public interest litigation pil filed by the trust challenging the governments exchange programme on the ground that the proposed zoo in germany does not provide a conducive atmosphere for the two elephants as some elephants have died there earlier the pil sought quashing of plans to send the elephants to leipzig zoo in germany in exchange for the cheetahs while hc refused to stay the exchange it asked the centre and the central zoo authority to ensure conducive atmosphere for the pair of elephants to be sent from karnatakas bannarghatta sanctuary ensure that the elephants live in a conducive atmosphere in germany the bench added after the counsel for the centre and the cza assured it that the prescribed guidelines under the wildlife protection act for the exchange of animals between the zoos would be adhered tothe atmosphere and climatic conditions near leipzig zoo in germany are conducive for asiatic animals the government saidwe are only inclined to direct that transportation or transfer of the elephants should be done in terms of the guidelines and it would be obligatory upon the centre to get updates on health conditions of the elephants and the petitioner trust will also be provided with the details under the rti the bench then noted the pil filed through advocates mohit chaudhary and rashi bansal said the animal exchange programme has been chalked out between the german zoo and the sri chamarajendra zoological gardens mysore according to the programme a pair of indian elephants would be transported to germany in exchange for two pairs of cheetahs the pil said pleading that the centre be restrained from going ahead with it the habitat in india is totally different from the environment in germany indian elephants will be totally unprepared for such a cold weather which may pose risks to their health and lead to unacceptable periods of confinement indoors the petition said it also provided a chart of comparative temperatures of both the countries to drive home the point that the atmosphere at germany would not be conducive for indian elephants