Submit report on avoiding elephant deaths, SR told

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court directed the manager of Southern Railways’ Palakkad division to appear before the court on November 24 to explain the recent deaths of two female elephants after they were hit by a train on the Kanjikode-Walayar railway line.

The court also directed the General Manager of Southern Railways to constitute a special team to study and file a report within a month on avoiding accidents and deaths of elephants due to speeding trains in the elephant corridors in Western Ghats. A division bench hearing forest and wildlife protection cases comprising Justice N Sathish Kumar and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy issued the direction while hearing a batch of petitions.

When the elephant deaths on the Kanjikode – Walayar railway line on October 14 were mentioned before the judges, the bench directed the DRM, Palakkad, to appear before the court and explain the reasons. The bench also questioned the basis of the report filed by Palakkad DR engineer stating that the speed of the trains could not be brought down. According to the judges, the speed of trains should be reduced inside the elephant corridors in order to save the lives of the elephants.

Pointing out that the installation of emergency alarms on roads in elephant corridors would affect the movements of elephants, the court suggested the government put speed breakers on roads. The court also ordered that all brick kilns in the elephant corridor area should be shut down.