Forest dept works on saving elephants from train hits

COIMBATORE: At least 11 wild elephants have been killed in train hits at Madukkarai forest range in Coimbatore forest division since January 2008.
The forest department has deployed a 15-member team to closely monitor the movement of wild elephants along the railway tracks during the day and at night.
It has also created a WhatsApp group with Kerala forest department officials and Palakkad railway division officials as its members to share information on elephant movement near the railway tracks.
According to a forest officer, a watchtower cum anti-poaching watchers camp shed was earlier constructed near the B-line track between Coimbatore and Palakkad to monitor the wild elephant movement.
Now, the forest department is constructing another watchtower cum anti-poaching shed near the B-line track, where wild elephant movement is frequent.
Another anti-poaching shed is coming up near the A-line track. These sheds are being constructed under a Nabard scheme. The state government has sanctioned Rs10 lakh each for the projects.
K Rajamani, 53, a resident of Chinnampathy tribal settlement, who has been working as an anti-poaching watcher since 2006, said she was incharge of night patrol along the A-line railway track along with C Sivasamy, 40, of Iyyampathi tribal settlement, who was appointed a forest watcher a month ago.
"One night we noticed a herd of elephants walking along the track. When they were about to cross the track, we drove them away into the adjacent reserve forest. Thus, we saved more than 10 wild elephants from train hits," Rajamani said.