Jumbo safety step: ‘Airavat’ vehicles ferry pupils to Madhyamik centres

MP | 24 Feb 2023 | Jalpaiguri: Adhering to the eight-point guidelines issued by the state Forest department to ensure safety of Madhyamik examinees, candidates hailing from the jumbo-prone areas of Jayanti and Bhutia Basti in Alipurduar were ferried to the examination centre at Shyamaprasad High School by ‘Airavat’, a special vehicle fitted with the equipment to drive away or tranquillise elephants. 

The same picture was seen along Teesta River bank adjacent to Baikunthpur Forest in Jalpaiguri district. Steps were taken to ensure that the examinees from forest villages and areas bordering forests do not face any threat from wild animals. This comes in the wake of the death of 16-year-old Arjun Das who was attacked by an elephant on his way to the examination centre around 9 am on Thursday. 

The incident had occurred at Maharaj Ghat area of Mantadari in Rajganj, Jalpaiguri district. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee—while condoling the incident—had given instructions to the Forest department and police to step up vigil in all vulnerable areas to ensure that examinees did not face any threat from wild animals, especially elephants on the way to the examination venues. 

The Forest department had issued an eight point guideline to prevent animal attacks on students during Madhyamik. The eight points include measures to transport examinees through vulnerable stretches. 

“DFOs will also arrange the erection of temporary drop gates at entry and exit points of areas where elephants are present,” stated the order issued by Vivek Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary, Forest department. Forest personnel were seen patrolling the roads of Jaldapara, Buxa Tiger Reserve of Alipurduar district and Gorumara, Baikunthpur forest of Jalpaiguri since Thursday afternoon. 

The Forest department staff also engaged in miking in vulnerable areas asking forest villages and people residing in the fringe areas not to use pathways through the forest to save time “We are monitoring elephants that have been roaming in the forest area of Baikunthapur for the past few days. 

All the forest pathways, along with the Maharaja Ghat Road, where the tragic incident took place had been closed for a few days,” stated Hari Krishnan, DFO, Baikunthapur Division. The forest guards are keeping a strict vigil on stretches from forest villages to state and national highways. A list of Madhyamik and higher secondary examinees of forest areas has been prepared. 

Accordingly, vehicles have been arranged for the examinees by the district administration. In those areas where there are no vehicles, arrangements have been made to reach candidates to the examination centers and back in “Airavats.” 

These are specially built vehicles that are used in sudden man-animal conflicts including elephant attacks. Meanwhile, Moumita Godara Basu, Jalpaiguri District Magistrate handed over a cheque of Rs 5 lakh to the deceased student’s father Bishnu Das on Friday. “Government buses and Forest department vehicles will be available for the transportation of Madhyamik candidates of the forest areas on the days of the examination. 

The forest pathways adjacent to the forest villages are currently closed with drop gates. For the convenience of the common people, the Forest department is making arrangements to drive back elephant herds from these areas. 

The road will be opened after the examination.” The entire Kalchini block is surrounded by forest and tea gardens. There are a total of 12 forest Villages in this block. 

From the first day of the Madhyamik exam, additional buses are being run by the district administration. After the tragic accident, 12 more small vehicles from the BDO office have started running in 12 forest village areas. The phone number of the vehicle drivers is given to the candidates through Gram Panchayat Offices. 

“Instruction has been given to the Forest department that no candidate should go alone through forest paths. We are working in close coordination with the Forest department,” Prashanta Barman, BDO, Kalchini. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/jumbo-safety-step-airavat-vehicles-ferry-pupils-to-madhyamik-centres-509781