Indian railway officials have refused requests for years that it slow its trains moving through the famed corridor for elephant migration in the Chapramari forest in eastern India. Now, in a single accident, a train has killed seven elephants (including two calves) and injured ten others. The railway officials have yet to agree to the slower speeds even as workers try to clean up from the carnage.
The train was travelling at 50mph (80kph) through the Chapramari forest when it struck the herd of 40 elephants crossing the tracks at dusk. Forest officials have said that their continued demands to slow the train have been dismissed by railway officials. Just last December, five elephants were killed in a single incident. In all, at least 50 elephants have been killed since 2004 by trains.
It is astonishing that this situation is allowed to continue or that these railway officials are not subject to sanctions for their refusal to reduce the speed of these trains.
By the way, the mascot for the Indian railways is . . . you guessed it:
Source: Guardian
The US fish and wildlife service just destroyed 6 tons of ivory tusks making them rarer and making poaching more profitable
wonders if a few of the officials of the rail service can be tied to the front of the trains bumpers and be given a ride when theres a herd of elephants standing around
how sweet that thought is..
A very sad story. The parties involved in hitting these animals should be sent to prison for a very long time.
we can and do strongarm governments throughout the world to do our bidding, to privatize & screw the public in the name of our corporations and redistribute upward, to deny whistleblowers’ asylum, etc, etc, etc…why can’t we push the Indian govt to slow these trains down during the migratory season? Oh, that’s right, it doesn’t serve the corporate elite’s interests…never mind.
This is what happens in countries with “less government”. So what do elephants here do? Trumpet for less government.
I’m just going downtown looking for some tusk…… Zz top reword…..
Reblogged this on Brittius.com.
In the country that considers rape, infanticide, and the class system cultural icons.
If there are people living nearby who care about the elephants they can take steps to de rail the trains. I can explain it if there is any inquiring minds want to know.
They won’t kill a cow, but they’re run elephants down with a train?! There’s something seriously wrong over there… O.o
Perhaps they should ship the carcasses to the HQ and see how it goes over. Give them a few days to ripen first.
So much for the lesser of two evils.
Darn Republicans.!!! …. The Jack arse Dems can’t even stop this obstructionism.