Committee To Prevent Elephant Deaths On Railway Tracks:
The Union Environment Ministry has constituted a “permanent” coordination committee that includes the Ministry of Railways and the Environment Ministry to prevent elephant deaths on railway tracks.
- 19 elephants were killed across the country on railway tracks in 2018-19, 14 in 2019-20 and 12 in 2020-21.
- Railway collisions were the second-largest reason for the unnatural deaths of elephants despite tracts being specifically demarcated and notified as elephant passages.
Key measures taken:
- Setting up of a Permanent Coordination Committee between the Ministry of Railways (Railway Board) and the MoEFCC for preventing elephant deaths in train accidents.
- Clearing of vegetation along railway tracks to enable clear view for loco pilots.
- Using signage boards at suitable points to alert loco pilots about elephant presence.
- Moderating slopes of elevated sections of railway tracks.
- Setting up underpass/overpass for safe passage of elephants.
- Regulation of train speed from sunset to sunrise in vulnerable stretches.
- Regular patrolling of vulnerable stretches of railway tracks by frontline staff of the Forest Department and wildlife watchers.
