Foresters urge Southern Railway to hike field trackers’ numbers

“Field inspections were conducted along the tracks where elephants have died in the past due to train accidents and assessments were done. We want the railways to increase the number of field trackers and equip them with night vision binoculars, thermal sensor drones and other necessary gadgets to monitor movement of elephants along railway tracks,” principal chief conservator of forests Shekar Kumar Niraj told DT Next.

The Forest Department had also asked the railways to train its staff to study animal behaviour and wildlife movement patterns, monthly sensitisation and awareness programmes with loco pilots and their assistants.

And frequent removal of garbage and food leftovers along the tracks were also discussed.

Food leftovers are a major attraction for animals, Niraj explained.

It was also decided to hold a joint field inspection before December 10 to locate sites of interventions such as additional speed limit boards, ramps and solar lights along with tracks. We have also explored the possibilities of imposing speed restrictions to below 35 km in these segments. Provision of more go-slow signal lights and installing speed guns were discussed, the warden added.