The Gujarat High Court was informed on Wednesday that the state government has set up a high-level committee to devise measures ensuring unhindered movement of Asiatic lions in and around the Gir sanctuary area, aimed at protecting them from railway accidents.
In response to the death of three lions in train accidents in January, a bench led by Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal directed the Ministry of Railways and the Gujarat Forest and Environment Department to form a joint committee to devise a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for lion protection.
Committee Progress and Inquiry
During the hearing of the suo motu PIL concerning lion fatalities, Additional Advocate General Manisha Lav Kumar informed the bench that the committee had been constituted and had already conducted several meetings. The committee includes senior officials from the state forest department and Indian Railways.
The Additional Advocate General also mentioned that a high-level inquiry had been conducted to determine the responsibilities of officers from the forest department and Western Railway at the divisional level, in accordance with the court’s directives. She indicated that a joint progress report would be submitted within the next two weeks.
Court Directives and Future Steps
The High Court instructed the Railways and the forest department to file a joint progress report affidavit and scheduled the next hearing for July 12, 2024.
Earlier, the High Court had instructed both the Railways and the Gujarat Forest Department to ensure that lions face no hindrances while moving in and around the Gir sanctuary area, and to prevent any accidents involving them on railway tracks.
The court had mandated the formation of an inquiry committee to investigate the actions of senior officers from Western Railway and the forest department regarding lion deaths on railway tracks. Additionally, the court sought a status report on the decision to convert the tracks at the Amreli-Khijadiya section from meter gauge to broad gauge.
Officials had stated in their affidavits that the railway track traverses through forest areas and the regions between Pipavav Port-Rajula junction-Surendranagar lion corridor.
