Killing of pachyderms by trains moves HC

GUWAHATI, May 23: The Gauhati High Court has found the Additional Advocate General of Assam not being able to “receive instruction” in respect to compliance with the court’s directive on the killing of wild elephants by trains to be a sad reflection of promptness on the part of the government. The court has directed the Commissioner and Secretary to the Forest Department, Assam to appear before it personally in the next hearing slated for June 1.

The High Court has expressed its displeasure in its directive to the State Forest Department in the Jugal Bharali and Easel Hussain versus the State of Assam; the Commissioner and Secretary to the Forest Department, Assam; the General Manager, NF Railway and the Secretary to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest for the State Government not being able to comply with the directive issued earlier.

The Additional Advocate General, Assam has prayed for two-week time to “seek instruction in the matter”.

In its directive issued earlier in the case, the High Court bench comprising Chief Justice Ajit Kumar Singh and Justice Suman Shyam said: “Since it is not in dispute that recently large number of wild elephants have died on being hit by different trains at different places on the State of Assam, we direct the respondents to prepare a detailed working plan and take effective measures without further delay for the protection of wild elephants from being hit by trains and getting killed”.

In the recent hearing of the case, the High Court bench has said that it is sad that the Additional Advocate General, Assam has not been able to receive instructions till date in respect to compliance of the earlier order. Such a sad reflection of promptness on the part of the respondents has led the High Court to direct the Commissioner and Secretary to the Forest Department, Assam to personally appear on the next date of hearing of the case slated for June 1, 2018.