Sri Lanka Railways Engine Drivers’ Union has condemned the accusations levelled against train engine drivers regarding incidents of deaths of elephants due to collisions.
Addressing the media, a representative of the Sri Lanka Railways Engine Drivers’ Union said that several environmentalists and activists have made recent claims without researching well on the cause of train-elephant collisions.
He explained that heavy-weight trains, transporting goods and fuel, especially from areas with elephants, such as Trincomalee, Batticaloa, and Gal-Oya, have been restricted to night trains.
The representative said that the recent incident of deaths of several elephants was reported after colliding with one such night train.
He said the Union has taken measures to ensure extra safety when travelling through areas with elephants, such as Gal-Oya to Maha-Oya, Trincomalee and Batticaloa.
“When searching for short-term solutions to this issue, there are three key factors that contribute to elephant-train collisions. These are the weight of the train, the speed of the train, and the layout of the area. These cannot be prevented, especially the train’s speed,” he said.
The representative said that instant information to train engine drivers on elephants near railway tracks may prevent such incidents, adding that a scientific solution must be sought by all stakeholders in this regard.
He further warned that the Sri Lanka Railways Engine Drivers’ Union will be forced to withdraw from operating night trains if an unfair solution is made due to public uproar.
The remarks come after six elephants were killed after being hit by the Meena Gaya train between Gal Oya and Minneriya, causing the train to derail.
The incident, last week, occurred on the Batticaloa railway line, leading to significant delays in train services. (Newswire)