Expressing concern over the spurt in train-induced elephant deaths in the State, Forest Minister Pramila Rani Brahma on Thursday said that the matter was being taken up with the Railway authorities for reducing train speed not just near the notified elephant corridors but across forest patches frequented by elephants.
Brahma who was addressing the media said that the feasibility of putting thermal sensors along rail tracts would also be explored.
“Meetings have been held with the Railway officials to sensitise them and evolve a strategy to prevent accidental death of elephants. We have asked the Railway authorities to reduce speed of trains along corridors and forest patches. The methodology adopted along the rail track near Deepor Beel has proved to be effective and the Railways have been asked to coordinate with the Forest Department on similar lines in other vulnerable areas,” she said, adding that local people and NGOs would also be involved in anti-depredation squads and monitoring of wildlife movement.
As long-term measures to check the growing trend of man-animal conflict, especially the man-elephant conflict, the minister said that restoration of elephant corridors and improvement of elephant habitat would be taken up on a priority basis.
“We are working out short, medium and long-term strategies to ease the conflict. All the new vulnerable areas of animal depredation are being identified. Some areas will be manned by forest staff on continuous basis to monitor movement of elephants and raising of alarms to prevent untoward incidents,” Brahma added.
Brahma said that Forest divisions had also been asked to inspect the power lines along forest patches, places of frequent visit of elephants, etc., to identify the low-hanging power lines. According to the 2011 census, Assam has an elephant population of 5,620 compared to 5,281 in 2008. The minister also said that the department was contemplating to set up a facility for specialised veterinary care for wildlife.
Brahma, while admitting that illegal sand-mining and stone extraction syndicates were operating in the State, said that a committee headed by an Additional PCCF had been constituted to study the entire gamut of issues concerning sand mining including the revenue being lost by the Forest department. The committee will submit its report in six months.
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