The Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the railway officials to file a detailed report by January 7 listing out the steps they propose to take to prevent elephant deaths in the light of the Comptroller and Auditor General’s latest report that railway deaths constitute the second largest reason for unnatural death of elephants.
A Division Bench of Justices V. Bharathidasan and N. Sathish Kumar asked railway counsel P.T. Ramkumar to also ensure that the officials file their detailed reply to a memo submitted by amicus curiae M. Santhanaraman listing out several suggestions to prevent deaths of elephants on being hit by trains while crossing railway tracks.
In his memo, the amicus stated that a committee constituted by the ‘Project Elephant’ division of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) too had come up with an elaborate report in September this year suggesting various measures to reduce elephant mortality on railway tracks in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
He pointed out that the CAG report as well as the MoEF report insist upon clearing of vegetation on either side of railway tracks, for a distance of 10 to 15 metres, to improve visibility for the loco pilots as well as the elephants. The clearing of vegetation would be a recurring process and therefore it must be carried out periodically without fail.
Secondly, ramps could be laid at feasible locations to aid easy passage of elephants. The loco pilots should also be instructed to follow strictly the speed restrictions at strategic and vulnerable locations of elephant crossing. Signage boards should also be installed at strategic locations to warn the loco pilots.
Deployment of elephant trackers and providing them the facilities to communicate with the station master to warn about elephant movement near railway tracks and provision of solar lighting at identified elephant passages to improve visibility were the other suggestions found in the reports, the amicus told the court. He pointed out that it was essential to keep the railway tracks free from food waste that could attract elephants and the railway staff, especially those in the pantry, must be sensitised. The passengers too must be asked to desist from throwing food waste on the tracks by pasting posters inside the trains and making oral announcements.
The MoEF report had highlighted that most of the elephant deaths due to rail accidents occur during monsoon and winter season. Therefore, the forest departments and the railway officials in both Tamil Nadu and Kerala should step up their vigil during these months by employing adequate number of guards to keep a watch on elephant movement, he said.
Mr. Santhanaraman also told the court about the necessity to conduct regular sensitisation programmes for loco pilots and the railway staff and the need to create working committees between the forest and railway officials to coordinate their activities. In addition, possibility of installing infra red cameras that pick up heat signals could also be explored, he said.