Deaths of three lions:Forest department to train railway drivers,guards

Junagadh, 26 February 2014

Following deaths of three lions in a month period due to moving trains, a meeting was held between railway and forest departments on Tuesday.

As per a decision taken in the meeting, the forest department will train railway guards and drivers on Thursday on precautions they need to take while passing through the areas of lion habitat.

According to DFO of Gir(East) Shri Anshuman Sharma, a training camp shall be held at Sasan on Thursday in which Railway men will be provided details of the areas of lion habitat.

Presently Pipavav-Dhasa railway line has provision of deployment of guard at every 3500 meter distance which is not sufficient according to forest officials. Railway officials are giving serious thought on increasing the number of guards in cooperation with forest department.

Meanwhile the forest department has taken a decision to file police complaint against driver of the train that killed a lion cub last week near Bhammar village in Savarkundla belt. Drivers of seven trains that passed through this area on that night are to be questioned. Earlier, the department had filed complaint in Rajula court following killings of two lionesses in January.