Speeding train mows down jumbo in Dooars

JALPAIGURI: The fact that the railway tracks in North Bengal are the biggest threats for wild elephants has been once again established with the death of yet another jumbo.
On Monday night, a female elephant died after it was hit by a speeding train, which was ferrying jawans of the Indian Army from Alipurduar to New Jalpaiguri, at the Mahananda wildlife sanctuary.On an average, five elephants are killed every year and scores injured in this 168-km stretch between Alipurduar Junction and New Jalpaiguri. Last year, as many as seven pachyderms lost their lives in a single such incident at Banerhat.
A herd of elephants was crossing the railway track inside the sanctuary on Monday. After being hit by the train, the body of the elephant was dragged to some 300 meters before the cowcatcher of the engine finally tossed the body off the track.
In a similar incident in June this year, two adult elephants were killed near the Dyna forest in the Dooars after it was hit by an Asansol-bound train.
"Environmentalists have repeatedly requested the Railways and all concerned departments to stop movement of trains on this track at night and shift those on the parallel track that passes through Jalpaiguri, Falakata. But our appeals have fallen on deaf ears. If the trains are made to run on railway track parallel to this line, the damage would minimize. But the Railways simply would not do that," said Animesh Basu, coordinator of Himalayan Nature and Adventure Foundation.
Time and again, different organizations have asked the Railways to double the line (that passes through Jalpaiguri and Falakata) to minimize traffic on the Dooars track. But nothing has been done till now.
"Indian Railways would kill elephants but not pass the trains through the parallel track. And the most tragic part of this is that political parties are very much indifferent to the issue as the victims are not voters," Basu said.
The rail track through the Dooars might have proved a boon for the residents of the area, but it has turned to be a curse for the wild lives.
When this track through Dooars was converted into a broad gauge one from meter gauge in 2002, nature lovers had even then protested against the move of the railway department.
The WWF had also filed a case at Calcutta high court. But the project could not be stopped. The court had given the permission for the gauge conversion and had asked the railway department to follow certain directives so that the line did not prove fatal for the animals. But it is more than evident that the norms have remained only on papers and all rules are being flouted at will.