Guwahati, Dec 22: Expressing shock and anguish over the tragic death of eight elephants which were mowed down by the speeding Sairand-New Delhi Rajdhani Express train near Kampur on Saturday, Kaziranga Wildlife Society (KWS) – the State’s oldest wildlife NGO – has called for putting in place a foolproof protocol with mandated responsibilities on multiple stakeholders, especially the Railways and the Forest Department.
It also called for a judicial inquiry into the incident, as the train had apparently flouted a 2014 Supreme Court order on speed limit cap of 30 to 40 kmph, depending on the vulnerability of the railway stretch.
In a statement, KWS said that the recurring elephant fatalities on train tracks exposed time and again that both the Railways and the Forest Department had little sincerity and commitment when it came to averting elephant deaths on tracks.
“First, let there be a judicial inquiry into the incident for identifying the problem areas and fixing accountability on the part of the authorities. Then, we need a sound protocol with well-laid-down responsibilities on multiple authorities together with a mechanism to fix guilt in the event of dereliction or negligence of duty. Unless it is there, no amount of rhetoric will lead us anywhere near finding a solution to the recurring tragedies,” it said.
Pointing out that elephants have been dying as a matter of routine on tracks, KWS said that with the use of appropriate technology – besides physical vigilance to monitor elephant movement near train tracks – it should not be a Herculean proposition to warn loco drivers about elephant movement near tracks.
“First of all, the necessary coordination among different authorities is a must – something clearly lacking in the latest incident. We need both physical vigilance and the best of technologies using sensors to detect elephant presence near tracks. The bottom line is, real-time information should reach the loco driver. Restricting the limits of trains that pass along elephant habitats is another must,” it added.
Questioning the sincerity and sensitivity of the authorities such as Railways and the Forest Department in easing the situation, KWS said that no amount of protocol would be enough to prevent deaths unless the authorities exhibit the required goodwill, commitment and empathy for the cause.
“All this will materialize only when our authorities, especially the Railways and the Forest Department commit themselves in all sincerity to preventing avoidable elephant fatalities on tracks,” it said.
By
Staff Reporter