വാളയാര്‍ കാട്ടിലൂടെയുള്ള ഓരോ യാത്രയും ഇപ്പോള്‍ ഭീതിയുടെ നിഴലിലാണ് .അനുദിനം നിരവധി ട്രെയിനുകള്‍ കടന്നു പോകുന്ന വാളയാര്‍ കാട്ടില്‍ ഏത് സമയത്താണ് ആനകള്‍ റയില്‍ പാത മുറിച്ചു കടക്കുന്നതു എന്ന് പറയാന്‍ പറ്റാത്ത സ്ഥിതി ആണ് .ഇതുവരെ നിരവധി ആനകള്‍ ട്രെയിന്‍ മുട്ടി ചെരിഞ്ഞത് എല്ലാവര്ക്കും അറിയാം!യാത്രക്കാരും ലോകോ പൈലറ്റ് മാരും എല്ലാം ഒരു ഭാഗ്യം കൊണ്ടു അങ്ങിനെ പോകുന്നു!റെയില്‍വെയും വനംവകുപ്പും പരസ്പരം പഴിചാരി വാര്‍ത്തകളില്‍ സ്ഥാനം പിടിക്കുന്നു .അല്ലാതെ സുരക്ഷക്കായി ഒന്നും തന്നെ ചെയ്യുന്നില്ല . ട്രെയിനിനറെ വേഗത കുറച്ചും കാട്ടില്‍ മുഴുവന്‍ വിസില്‍ അടിച്ചും ട്രെയിന്‍ ഓടിക്കുവാന്‍ റയില്‍വേ ലോകോ പൈലറ്റ് മാരെ നിര്‍ബന്ധിക്കുന്നു .അതിനപ്പുറം ഒന്നും റയില്‍വേ ചെയ്യുന്നില്ല! അപകടം സംഭവിച്ചാല്‍ വനംവകുപ്പ് മേധാവികള്‍ ലോകോ പൈലറ്റ് മാരെ അറസ്റ്റ് ചെയ്യാന്‍ ഉത്തരവിടുന്നു ;അത്രതന്നെ! കൊടും വനത്തില്‍ഊടെയുള്ള ട്രെയിന്‍ ഓടിക്കല്‍ ഓരോ ലോകോ പൈലറ്റ് ഉം ഭഗവന്‍ ന്റെ കാരുന്ന്യത്തില്‍ രക്ഷപ്പെട്ടു പോകുന്നു.ആനയെ ട്രെയിന്‍ ഇടിച്ചാല്‍ ഒന്നാം പ്രതി ആര് എന്ന ചോദ്യത്തിനു രയില്‍വെയും വനംവകുപ്പും ഉടനെ ഉത്തരം നല്കും ?ലോകോ പൈലറ്റ്!!!!ഈ കോമഡി ഷോ ക്ക് ഒരു അറുതി വരണമേങ്ങില്‍ നാം ഇനിയും കാത്തിരുന്നേ പറ്റൂ !അതുവരെ സംരക്ഷിക്കുന്ന ദൈവത്തിനു നന്ദി
(news on "THE HINDU "-Nov.17,2010)
Elephant deaths on the track a burning issue
The rail track passing through forest areas in different parts of the country, including Walayar on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border, have become a death trap for the wildlife, particularly elephants.
Though a hue and cry is raised every time a tragedy strikes, the deaths of a large number of wild elephants in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Assam and West Bengal remain a burning issue.
The recent incidents of train hits in these States have drawn the attention of animal lovers and government agencies.
The frequent carnage on the track in the Walayar forest area resulted in the death of 20 elephants in the last five years.
The estimated elephant population in the Walayar forest is around 400.
When the deaths became frequent, a joint meeting of the Forest Departments of Kerala and Tamil Nadu and the Railways last year decided to dig trenches and erect electric fencing on either side of the track. They entrusted the Wildlife Trust of India with studying the problem and suggesting remedial measures.
This move came after the death of a pregnant elephant, along with two other elephants, hit by a train running between Pothanur and Madhukari in the Walayar-Coimbatore section on February 4, 2008. In the impact, the pregnant elephant was delivered of a calf, which also died on the spot.
Dangerous stretch
The fatalities usually occur over a distance of 20 km on the Kerala stretch of the track up to Walayar.
Most of the deaths happen on a two-km stretch on the ghat side where there is a rock cliff (with a few breaks in between, where elephants have made paths to cross the track) and where, immediately after the track, the topography is mostly a steep incline with a few paths through which a human settlement can be reached.
Elephants that see trains approaching them while on this stretch cannot return to the forest or reach the settlement, and are forced to flee along the track itself, with disastrous consequences.
The ‘B Line' of the Railways that passes through the forest keeps a curved path and it is a blind curve for most of the length, making it difficult for elephants to scramble to safety when they see an approaching train.
Though the Railways have reduced the speed of trains from 100 to 65 km per hour during daytime and to 45 km during night, this cannot save the animals once they are hit. Railway sources said even a hit by a train going at 25 km would prove fatal for elephants.
‘Fencing not effective'
S. Guruvayurappan, coordinator of the southern region of the Wildlife Protection Society of India, told The Hindu that electric fencing did not help to save the elephants. For, there was no proper maintenance and some times the elephants themselves destroyed the fencing.
The best way, Mr. Guruvayurappan said, would be to construct trenches in various dimensions — either a simple one dug along the track, or one built by paving the sides of the trenches.
There have also been demands to shift the ‘B Line' track from the forest parallel to NH-47. But the Railways ruled out the suggestion earlier citing problems like acquiring land and laying the track through the thickly populated NH area.
Mr. Guruvayurappan said that since elephants could approach the ‘A Line' only after crossing the ‘B Line' first, an effective project that shut off access to the ‘B Line' would provide a solution.
He added that steps should be taken to ensure adequate supply of food and water for wild animals in the Walayar forest area. The required number of waterholes should be dug inside the forest.
‘Move human settlement'
There are some human settlements on the ghat side of the ‘B Line,' and many of the people have abandoned cultivation due to raids by wild elephants on their farms. Mr. Guruvayurappan said these people would be too happy to move out of the forest area if they were given a reasonable resettlement package.
There are also the problems of illegal encroachment on forest land and clandestine cultivation of cannabis. These often trigger the movement of elephants away from their habitat, says Mr. Guruvayurappan.
To secure a future for the elephants and to sustain the ecological integrity of their habitat, urgent steps need to be taken by government agencies, he says.
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