Railway launches drive to check open defecation on tracks

Salem railway division officials and the RPF during the drive to keep tracks clean on Sunday. —

Special teams launched a drive to check defecation on the railway tracks and other activities affecting cleanliness on the railway premises in the Salem–Vridhachalam section and booked 109 persons for the violations in the last two days.

Special teams led by P. Raajmohan, Divisional Security Commissioner, and P. Sivadasan, Assistant Security Commissioner, launched the drive even before the break of dawn on both the days.

The RPF team inspected the track between Salem Junction and Ayodhyapattinam on Sunday and booked 63 persons on charge of defecation, littering, washing and drying clothes near the track etc. A spot fine of Rs. 15,600 was collected from them. During a similar inspection on Saturday, the RPF team booked 46 persons and collected a fine of Rs. 10,800.

Officials of the Salem Railway Division and the RPF personnel also carried out awareness campaign and distributed pamphlets against defecation on railway tracks.

The special drive held on the direction of Hari Shankar Verma, Divisional Railway Manager, will be continued,a press note said.

Apart from polluting the environment, defecation also posed a threat to the safety and longevity of the tracks. It also becomes difficult for railway personnel to work on the track as it creates health hazard. It also resulted in frequent run over track deaths time and again, the release said.