India, Oct. 24 -- In a significant step towards resolving the months-long dispute over the fate of 36-year-old elephant Mahadevi, popularly known as Madhuri, the Supreme Court's High-Powered Committee (HPC) on wildlife transfers has directed that all permissions required to set up a proposed satellite rehabilitation centre for the elephant at Nandani in Kolhapur district be completed within 20 days. The committee has fixed November 29 as the next date of hearing.

The order, issued on Wednesday evening, comes over two months after Jamnagar-based animal rescue and conservation facility Vantara proposed to establish a special satellite centre in Nandani to house Madhuri in familiar surroundings, following widespread protests across Kolhapur...