By Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Alarmed over the deaths of many elephants and other animals due to train hits, the railway has formed a permanent ‘Co-ordination Committee’ (CC) with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for preventing the elephants and other animal deaths on railway tracks or due to train hits.
The zonal railway has also been asked to investigate the incidences and find out the possible immediate preventive measures along the tracks to prevent deaths from train hits.
According to railway official data, the deaths of 48 elephants were reported in the last four years due to being hit by trains along the tracks. The railway had also received reports of deaths of 188 other animals since 2019 to February 2022 after being hit by speedy trains along the railway tracks.
In 2019, four elephants were killed by speedy trains at different places under the NF railway out of total death of 10 elephants.
In 2020, 16 deaths of elephants, the highest six from the NF railways, were reported to railway while 19 deaths of elephants, 5 from NF railway were received to railways in 2021.
“Till February 2022, the deaths of 3 elephants, including 2 from NF railway, have been reported to railways,” said a railway official, adding that the highest number of 69 deaths of other animals was reported in 2021.
“This year till February, 37 other animals had died after being knocked by speedy trains,” said a railway source.
A couple of days ago, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply to a question in the Parliament said that a number of preventive measures are being taken by zonal railways in coordination with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change to prevent deaths of animals included elephants due to train hits.
The clearing of vegetation along railway tracks to allow unhindered and clear view for train drivers, the construction of trespasses ramps for the movement of elephants at identified locations and the installation of honey-bee sound systems at locations, prone to elephants’ movements are among other measures being taken out by the railways.
“The railway is counselling villagers, who bring their cattle for grazing along the railway tracks, to prevent the cattle from coming near the tracks. The forest department has also deputed staffs to assist the railways in preventing deaths of animals,” the minister informed the Parliament.
NEW DELHI: Alarmed over the deaths of many elephants and other animals due to train hits, the railway has formed a permanent ‘Co-ordination Committee’ (CC) with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for preventing the elephants and other animal deaths on railway tracks or due to train hits.
The zonal railway has also been asked to investigate the incidences and find out the possible immediate preventive measures along the tracks to prevent deaths from train hits.
According to railway official data, the deaths of 48 elephants were reported in the last four years due to being hit by trains along the tracks. The railway had also received reports of deaths of 188 other animals since 2019 to February 2022 after being hit by speedy trains along the railway tracks.
In 2019, four elephants were killed by speedy trains at different places under the NF railway out of total death of 10 elephants.
In 2020, 16 deaths of elephants, the highest six from the NF railways, were reported to railway while 19 deaths of elephants, 5 from NF railway were received to railways in 2021.
“Till February 2022, the deaths of 3 elephants, including 2 from NF railway, have been reported to railways,” said a railway official, adding that the highest number of 69 deaths of other animals was reported in 2021.
“This year till February, 37 other animals had died after being knocked by speedy trains,” said a railway source.
A couple of days ago, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply to a question in the Parliament said that a number of preventive measures are being taken by zonal railways in coordination with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change to prevent deaths of animals included elephants due to train hits.
The clearing of vegetation along railway tracks to allow unhindered and clear view for train drivers, the construction of trespasses ramps for the movement of elephants at identified locations and the installation of honey-bee sound systems at locations, prone to elephants’ movements are among other measures being taken out by the railways.
“The railway is counselling villagers, who bring their cattle for grazing along the railway tracks, to prevent the cattle from coming near the tracks. The forest department has also deputed staffs to assist the railways in preventing deaths of animals,” the minister informed the Parliament.
