chennai people for the ethical treatment of animals peta india after submitting its proposals to be considered for the wild life protection amendment bill 2021 to a parliamentary standing committee has appealed to prime minister narendra modi to remove provisions from the bill that would allow the cruel commercial trade of captive elephants a practice universally condemned and declare wild animals vermin a term that denies societys understanding of the nature of wildlife thereby allowing their killingthe government of india has been honouring elephants by declaring them national heritage animals and by refusing to allow their use during republic day parades says peta india ceo and veterinarian dr manilal valliyate its high time that the law be framed to prohibit private persons from keeping elephants unshackle these intelligent species and allow them to live free as nature intendedpeta india also commended the central government for including a new chapter for convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora cites appendix species in the bill in order to confer them protection in the country the group welcomed the proposal to increase the penalties for wildliferelated crimes from rs 10000 to rs 25000 and from rs 25000 to rs 1 lakh wherever it is stated in the current law but requested a periodical review to look at increasing the penalties so that the amount could act as a deterrent to potential offendersin the letter peta india says that the amendment proposing the insertion of section 434 would encourage the illegal capture and commercial trade of elephants in india defeating conservation efforts in their natural habitat the group also warns that the amendment may increase cruelty to elephants in captivity and promote institutionalised corruption as illegitimate ownership certificates would be necessary to conduct trade peta india also recommended amending section 40 of the wild life protection act wpa 1972 to remove the exemption given to live elephants thereby prohibiting any private person from acquiring receiving or keeping in control custody or possession any captive elephants in the countryaccording to peta india the definition of vermin is archaic and declaring certain wild animals vermin in order to kill them in humanwild animal conflict areas is a colonial concept which violates articles 14 21 51ag and 48a of the constitution of india the group recommends that the government implement already established humane scientific and effective alternative methods for preventing and mitigating humananimal conflicts