statesman news service
SILIGURI, 26 JUNE: Two elephants were critically injured when a speeding train hit a herd of nearly 60 elephants that came close to a rail track at the Red Bank tea plantation area in the Dooars last night. Forest officials fear that the injured elephants might die because their backbone was hit.
The incident took place near Diana forest, a few km from another accident site at Banarhat in Jalpaiguri where seven elephants were mowed down by a speeding train in September last year, just after a coordination meeting between the forest department and railway officials was held in Alipurduar a few days ago.
Forest officials said that they had informed the railway officials about the herd approaching the rail track and had requested them to control the speed of the train. Though the driver of the Alipurduar-Asansol DN Express train was cautioned, the train hit the herd of elephants injuring two of them critically.
The divisional forest officer, wildlife II, Ms Sumita Ghatak said: “The accident took place around 9.20 p.m. We got the information about 9.08 p.m. and informed the railway officials. Railway officials cautioned the driver of the train around 9.10 p.m. but the train travelling at a speed of 50 km per hour arrived at the accident site within 10 minutes covering a distance of 8 km." According to Ms Sumita Ghatak, a 15-year-old injured elephant was brought to the Garumara jungle for treatment. Though the injured elephant responded to medical treatment, it couldn't stand up.
Another 35-year-old elephant was in the same condition at Diana forest. “We are keeping a close eye on them. We suspect they would not survive. A complaint was lodged at the police station concerned after the accident,” said Ms Ghatak.
Though eyewitnesses said that nearly four elephants were injured, the DFO said that she had not found other injured elephants.
The state forest minister, Mr Hiten Barman, said that forest officials had been asked to keep a close watch on elephants’ movements and communicate information about the location of the herd to the railway officials. “The railway officials said that the driver had controlled the speed. If the train was running at a high speed many elephants would have been killed,” said Mr Barman.
“The accident is regretted. A permanent solution is needed to save the wildlife from the speeding trains. A coordination committee has been constituted to keep a close watch on the elephants’ movement. We need to build an underpass along the elephant corridor to avoid accidents,” he said.
SILIGURI, 26 JUNE: Two elephants were critically injured when a speeding train hit a herd of nearly 60 elephants that came close to a rail track at the Red Bank tea plantation area in the Dooars last night. Forest officials fear that the injured elephants might die because their backbone was hit.
The incident took place near Diana forest, a few km from another accident site at Banarhat in Jalpaiguri where seven elephants were mowed down by a speeding train in September last year, just after a coordination meeting between the forest department and railway officials was held in Alipurduar a few days ago.
Forest officials said that they had informed the railway officials about the herd approaching the rail track and had requested them to control the speed of the train. Though the driver of the Alipurduar-Asansol DN Express train was cautioned, the train hit the herd of elephants injuring two of them critically.
The divisional forest officer, wildlife II, Ms Sumita Ghatak said: “The accident took place around 9.20 p.m. We got the information about 9.08 p.m. and informed the railway officials. Railway officials cautioned the driver of the train around 9.10 p.m. but the train travelling at a speed of 50 km per hour arrived at the accident site within 10 minutes covering a distance of 8 km." According to Ms Sumita Ghatak, a 15-year-old injured elephant was brought to the Garumara jungle for treatment. Though the injured elephant responded to medical treatment, it couldn't stand up.
Another 35-year-old elephant was in the same condition at Diana forest. “We are keeping a close eye on them. We suspect they would not survive. A complaint was lodged at the police station concerned after the accident,” said Ms Ghatak.
Though eyewitnesses said that nearly four elephants were injured, the DFO said that she had not found other injured elephants.
The state forest minister, Mr Hiten Barman, said that forest officials had been asked to keep a close watch on elephants’ movements and communicate information about the location of the herd to the railway officials. “The railway officials said that the driver had controlled the speed. If the train was running at a high speed many elephants would have been killed,” said Mr Barman.
“The accident is regretted. A permanent solution is needed to save the wildlife from the speeding trains. A coordination committee has been constituted to keep a close watch on the elephants’ movement. We need to build an underpass along the elephant corridor to avoid accidents,” he said.
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