WB Forest Dept failed in arrangements to control Elephant deaths in train accidents: CAG

WB Forest Dept failed in arrangements to control Elephant deaths in train accidents: CAG

Kolkata (KOAA): The West Bengal forest department has failed to review and notify elephant corridors to combat the problem of frequent death of wild elephants in train accidents, the CAG has said.

Scrutiny of records by the auditor found that 50 elephants died between May 2006 and November 2013 in train accidents on a 168 km railway track between New Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar which passed through the main elephant corridor.

“Department neither reviewed nor notified elephant corridors in disregard to suggestions of MoEF (union Ministry of Environment and Forests). Death toll of elephants due to frequent train accidents remained unabated as the existing arrangements to combat the problem were not effective,” a CAG report said.

The wildlife wing’s annual report indicated that rapid expansion of habitations, agriculture and tea gardens not only encroached on forests grassland, but also cut off the corridors needed for migration of elephants. In north Bengal, the forest department had identified 14 elephant corridors which were yet to be notified till November 2013.

CAG said that to tackle the problem, the forest department deployed staff and casual labour to watch the movement of elephants along railway tracks and inform the railway control room to alert railway drivers only in Buxa forest’s west division.

In November 2013, the department and railway authorities decided to introduce the existing arrangement system in other three divisions through which the railway line passed, but the measures were not implemented, the report said. CAG also criticised the government for not reviewing elephant corridors as suggest by the MoEF.

“Directorate admitted the audit observation and stated that temporary measures to control the elephant accidents were not found effective,” it said.

Source: RailNews