GUWAHATI, June 23 – Following the tragic death of three elephants after being run over by a goods train, senior forest department and N F Railway officials today participated in a joint meeting to review the situation around railway tracks close to forest tracts.
The meeting convened by Conservator of Forests, Central Assam Circle R D S Tanwar, discussed preventive measures that could help stop trains coming into close proximity of elephants. In the meeting, the railway officials agreed to suitably regulate speeds of trains traversing through elephant habitats.
The meeting also helped identify two stretches where the problem of trains coming close to elephants is considerably high. Apart from identifying the area close to Rani forest reserve, the two groups also identified a stretch around Panikhaiti, where trains had earlier killed elephants. On these stretches measuring about eight kilometres each the speed of trains would be restricted to 30 kmph.
Responding to a request from the forest department the railway officials agreed to put up hoardings to warn train drivers of elephant habitats, as part of its efforts to sensitise the drivers. The rail and forest officials also decided in favour of frequent interaction between local station managers and forest officials.
Senior members of both the departments also accepted a plan for joint inspection of the concerned areas. Such an effort would help chalk out details of the action plan which would shortly be implemented. The rail authorities, however, did not agree to a request from the forest officials regarding the lighting of tracks traversing through elephant tracks. Citing fund constraints the rail officials expressed the inability of the department to provide lights in the present situation.