In a sharp rebuke, the Gujarat High Court has once again criticized the State Forest Department and Railway authorities for their failure to prevent the tragic deaths of lions due to train collisions. Last month alone, two incidents claimed the lives of a lion, a lioness, and two cubs, highlighting the ongoing negligence.
The Bench, led by Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Pranav Trivedi, expressed frustration at the apparent inaction, noting that previous court orders demanding concrete measures to protect the lions in the Gir sanctuary have gone largely unheeded. Despite earlier warnings, the authorities have yet to implement effective solutions to prevent these avoidable tragedies.
The Court pointed out that in the short span of one week, two separate accidents occurred, a clear indication of the lack of urgency from the officials. In an affidavit submitted by the Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife Circle, Junagadh, the Court found no substantive plan to prevent future incidents, leading to a stern show-cause notice demanding accountability.
Further concerns were raised by the Court after reviewing a report from an amicus curiae, which highlighted the absence of adequate fencing to keep lions off the tracks. A High-Level Committee had previously suggested reducing train speeds as a preventive measure, but this recommendation has also been ignored.
The Court lamented the ongoing “silence” from the forest department regarding their response to these incidents and ordered that the issues be escalated to the High-Level Committee established earlier by the Court.
In previous hearings, the Court had dismissed the Railway’s defense that lion deaths occur primarily during prey chases, emphasizing the need for coordinated efforts between railway and forest officials to protect these national treasures.
The case is scheduled for further hearing on August 30.
