Shift the railway track from forest areas

In the last decade, in all the year lot of wildlife are killed by train accident in walayar forest and nearby areas. This include killing of elephants, which has become a permanent story to public, press and media. Within 4 months, 5 elephants are killed in this area.Un accounted number of other wildlife including Sambar deer, mouse deer, monkeys, reptails etc have lost their lives on railway track all the year. In walayar especially in forest area, there are two rail tracks. One passes through deep inside the forest and another one on the fringes. More number of animal death is happening in the deep forest area.

Wildlife are killed even outside the forest areas as the area is part of their habitat. Animals used to migrate from one place to another in a certain paths. If the path is obstructed or altered, they tend to become violent and leads to man-animal conflict. The life of the animal or human beings is under threat in these circumstances. We can not blaim the wildanimals in this regard as they never "encroach" 'others' land. We should realise this fact. Even forest department can only do a minimum number of activities to curtail man-animal conflict. So far no permanent solution is identified to solve such issues. We must keep away from wildlife habitats is the only possible way out. When man and animals were co-existing in the nature till the 20th century, the conflict were very very less. So the damages were also less. Wwhen developmental activities happened, and encroachment increaced in wildlife habitats, man-animal conflict started slowely, which is increasing day by day. When man started over exploiting the resources, the situation became worse. Like wise the developmental activities such as road, rail networks, altering natural habitats to non-forest areas questioned the existence of many wildife species. Some times human life is also sacrificed by the resultant of such developments. The only soultion to such is to keep away from wildlife habitats so that they are also safe and human life is also protected.

• In Walayar condition, Railway track B which passes through deep inside the forest should be taken out or abandoned. This will minimise the wildlife, habitat loss and ensure human safety. Or, the track can be palced parallel to Track A which passes on the fringe area of the forest. Only a small area of the rail line will fall on forest.
• Later railway routes can be identified outside forest/ wildlife area. Or even think of a parallel line to National Highway where ever possible.
• In the mean time these departments can implement the following suggestions in terms of protecting wildlife and ensuring passenger safety;

1. Take urgent steps to minimise the train speed to 20kmph in the wildlife area irrespective forest areas including Walayar forest areas
2. To provide training to locopilots and concerned staff and officers of railway in this regard, on precautionary measures to be taken in wildlife emergencies,
3. Urgently start making database of wildlife presence and movement in these areas with the support of field level staff of railway and forest departments. (with the prime motive of Studying the mobility pattern and structure of elephant and other wildlife in crusial points and elephant passages)
4. To take immediate arrangements and temporary mechanism in the same matter by co-ordinating and collaborating forest and railway authorities ( Even think of appointing temproray staff by providing walkie takie to pass communication on wildlife movements)
5. Placing wildlife sign boards / caution boards in respective places to inform the passengers and locopilots.
6. Forest department can consitute Ecoevelopment committes comprising the nearby villagers where the pressence of wildanimal population, elephat passeges are there. With the owernership of residents of such area, the villagers can inform either forest or railway whenever animal movement is there on railway tracks.
7. Like fire protection programs, the forest deparment can do wildlife protection program in these locations during animal migratory periods. It may be between september and february. Railway department can collaborate in this activities. Government of india would be glad to fund any amout of money for such programs.

Support and trainings can be provided by our organisation in this regard.

We can not wait for new another bad news in this matter.