GUWAHATI, May 4 – Assam which is amongst the states with highest elephant mortality due to train hits has succeeded to a certain extent in preventing train-elephant collisions since 2008 by implementing the Train Hits Mitigation Project.
This project is being jointly implemented by the Assam Forest Department, Northeast Frontier Railways and Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) with support from the UK based charity Elephant Family (EF).
It needs to be mentioned here that prompt action by members of the joint patrolling team deployed to prevent train-elephant collisions along the critical Deepor Beel railway stretch near Guwahati recently averted an accident saving a herd of about 15 wild elephants.
According to an official of WTI, patrolling along railway tracks in Assam has prevented more than 80 accidents till date. The official said that about 65 elephants have been killed in train accidents in the State since 1987. The frequency of accidents saw a steep increase in the late 1990s and 2000s.
"Alarmed by these deaths, WTI supported by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) carried out a rapid survey to identify the accident prone areas in 2006. This was followed by an intensive year-long study of these sites to identify the causes and to develop site specific mitigation measures for implementation," said the official.
The study identified about 23 accident-prone sections in eight forest divisions in Assam. On priority basis, currently, patrolling is carried out in seven of these 23 sites including Deepor Beel.
A joint patrolling team comprises six members, two each supported by the Forest Department, Railways and WTI-EF. The teams walk along the tracks at nights keeping watch for elephants among other animals. On sighting, the information is conveyed to the drivers of the approaching trains through the nearby railway control rooms.
Apart from patrolling, the project is also implementing other recommendations of the study including installation of signage along the track, conducting awareness workshops for the railway staff and exploring possibilities of leveling some steep embankments along the tracks to prevent accidents.
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