Camera proposal for forest tracks

A female elephant that was hit by a train on the Alipurduar
Junction-Siliguri route on December 23 night

TT, Alipurduar, Dec. 27: The railways and the state forest department will send a proposal to the Union ministry of environment and forest for setting up Laser Guided Cameras at four sensitive spots on the Alipurduar Junction-Siliguri route to track animal movement close to the train lines.

This is the first time that a joint proposal would be sent to the Union ministry in an attempt to reduce the number of animal deaths on railway tracks in the Dooars forests.

Yesterday, officers of the the railways and the forest department held a meeting here and it was decided that a joint committee would be formed with representatives of both the departments and a survey would be conducted to re-identify elephant corridors on the route.

Along with the proposal to set up the cameras, a proposal to build underpasses and overpasses for animal movement would also be sent to the Union ministry.

The 163km-long tracks between Alipurduar Junction and Siliguri stations pass through parts of the Buxa Tiger Reserve, Jaldapara National Park, Gorumara National Park, Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary, Chapramari forest and Jalpaiguri forest division.

Since 2004, 63 elephants have died in the Dooars after being hit by trains.

In the past 15 days alone, three elephants, including a calf and a female elephant that were hit by a train on December 23, have died after train collisions on the stretch.

Sources said, Laser Guided Cameras could spot movement up to 2km when there is clear visibility.

The cameras that would be placed near the train lines would work along with the non-inter locking signal system, which is installed on the route, and alert the railways.

The forest sources could not give the exact cost of the equipment.

Sanjeev Kishore, the divisional railway manager, Alipurduar, said: "We have discussed few long-term solutions but it will take time to implement them."

Currently, no tracking system is in place on the route. When foresters or forest villagers spot animals close to the tracks, they inform the nearby railways stations.

Ujjwal Ghosh, the field director, Buxa Tiger Reserve, said: "In the meeting, officials of both departments laid stress on improving co-ordination."

Injured elephant

An injured tusker was spotted in Dalgaon forest in Jalpaiguri on Sunday.

Residents of Dalgaon village, around 65km from Alipurduar town, are keeping a watch on the animal and fed it with bananas and banyan branches. They have arranged for water and fire near the animal.

Foresters said, the right hind leg of the elephant had an injury and an inflammation, for which the elephant was not being able to move much.

Bidyut Sarkar, the divisional forest officer, Jalpaiguri, said: "There is no infrastructure in the region to treat a fracture, in case the elephant has one. If the condition of the elephant does not improve in the next 48 hours, we will start treatment with the help of a kunki (trained elephant). We are grateful to the local villagers for their effort."