Union Environment Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav has told DMK MP from Pollachi K. Shanmuga Sundaram that his Ministry has been taking various measures to mitigate deaths of elephants on railway tracks.
Mr. Yadav said the MoEFCC was closely working with the Tamil Nadu Forest Department and the Southern Railway to avoid deaths of elephants on railway lines.
The Minister, in a reply to a letter from Mr. Shanmugasundaram regarding the deaths of eight elephants due to train hits on railway lines between Kanjikode and Madukarai in the last five years, said that various measures were being taken to reduce such instances across the country.
Many advisories have been issued for speed restrictions, clearing vegetation and installing signage board in vulnerable stretches, said the Minister.
Mr. Yadav said that a committee from the Project Elephant visited the stretch between Kanjikode and Madukarai and suggested measures to mitigate the elephant deaths.
“While appreciating your concern towards elephant conservation, I would like to mention that the Ministry has been closely working with State Forest Departments and Southern Railway for taking necessary steps to protect and conserve our national heritage animal,” said the Minister in his letter.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) tasked the committee the Project Elephant to look into the elephants deaths on railway lines that link Tamil Nadu and Kerala through forest areas of Coimbatore and Palakkad districts, taking suo motu cognizance based on a report carried by The Hindu in its columns on May 29, 2021.
