Gir lion deaths by train collision: Gujarat High Court pulls up forest department, Railways (again)

The Gujarat High Court recently criticised officials of the State Forest Department and the Railway authorities for their failure to work out a plan to ensure that lions are not killed due to accidental collisions with trains [Suo Motu v. Union of India & Ors.]..A Bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Pranav Trivedi noted that Railway authorities and the forest department have evidently not been able to control the situation and have failed in their duty to comply with earlier directions issued by the Court on the issue.The Court had earlier ordered the authorities to take concrete steps to curb lion deaths due to train collisions. The State Forest Department has a duty to ensure that no animal in the Gir sanctuary is harmed by outside elements, the Court had warned at the time.However, in an August 9 order, the Court found that at least two incidents of lion deaths took place last month alone, which involved the death of a lion, a lioness and two cubs."The two incidents occurred in a short period of one week or so, shows approach on the part of the Railway authorities as also the Officials of the Forest Department. The Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife Circle, Junagadh, in his affidavit has submitted (a) response ... but as to how he proposes to ensure compliance of the directions given by this Court that no such incident occurred on the Railway track, there is complete silence in the affidavit," the Court observed.It thus called upon the Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife Circle, Junagadh, to show cause as to why the Court should not treat his response as an avoidance of earlier directions..Among other aspects, the Court took note of a report filed by an amicus curiae which reported that there was no proper fencing to prevent lions from coming on the railway track.A High Level Committee had also reported that if the speed of the trains were less, lion death incidents could be avoided.However, no such preventive measures have been taken either by the Railways or by the Forest Department, the Court was told. "Resultantly, two more incidents of death of the Lion had occurred in the interregnum," the Court observed. .Last month, one lion death incident was reported on July 18 when the carcasses of a lioness and two cubs were found.Another incident was reported around July 24-25, in which two lions got seriously injured by colliding into the Mahuva-Surat Passenger Train. One of the two lions died due to critical injuries. In its August 9 order, the Court lamented that there was complete 'silence' on part of the forest department regarding the action taken after this incident. .The Bench proceeded to issue a show-cause notice to the forest department and directed that these issues to be brought before the High Level Committee that was constituted after an Court order dated April 23. In earlier hearings, the Court had also refused to accept the explanation of the Railways that most lions die in train accidents while chasing prey. In a hearing held in March this year, the Court had emphasised that the Railway and forest officials will have to "act in coordination and be in sync" to save the lions that are the pride of the country. The case will be heard next on August 30..Advocate DM Devnani appeared as the amicus curiae.Additional Advocate General Manisha Lukumar Shah and Assistant government pleader Chintan Dave represented the State of Gujarat. Advocated Kshitij M Amin, Ramnandan Singh and Parth H Bhat represented the Union of India. Advocate Radhesh Y Vyas represented the District Development Officer. . [Read Order]