GUWAHATI, Dec 10 - The Assam Environmental NGOs Forum has expressed its serious concern over the mowing down of six elephants by the Guwahati-Naharlagun Express near Balipara.
The Forum lamented the lack of foresightedness of the government while planning development activities in the State. Dr Bibhab Talukdar of Aaranyak called it a shame for Assam where 40 elephants had died unnaturally in the last hundred days.
Another member of the Forum�s core committee Pranoy Bordoloi said construction of railway tracks through known animal corridors had resulted in the death of at least 225 elephants by speeding trains since 2006.
Senior journalist and conservationist Jayanta Kumar Das said handing over of forest lands for the development of the Patanjali Park has led to such tragic incidents. He demanded immediate intervention of the Assam government, as such incidents bring a bad name for Assam.
Rituraj Phukan of Green Guard Nature Organisation requested the Assam Forest Department and the NF Railway to make provisions for installing warning systems and lights on the tracks like highways. Phukan said there should be speed limits for trains while passing through these animal corridors. Mubina Akhtar of Kaziranga Wildlife Society added that last year the State lost more than 60 elephants and this year, 62 jumbos were killed because of retaliatory killings like poisoning, electrocution, etc. apart from poaching and train hits.
Ruing the lack of any comprehensive government policy to address the crisis, she alleged that the Railways, even after repeated memoranda and representations, failed to prepare guidelines for drivers while driving through such areas.
The Forum demanded answers from both the State government and the Railway authorities on the Sunday�s incident that resulted in the death of six of the �Scheduled 1� species.
Advocate General of Assam Dr Ramesh Chandra Barpatra Gohain also voiced his concern over the tragedy and said he would take up the issue of elephant security with the Chief Minister.
The All Assam Journalists Union (AAJU) also condemned the State Forest Department and the NF Railway for their failure to take concrete actions to save wild elephants.