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Tiger Tragedy: Another big cat dead in MP; second to be hit by train in a month

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Special Correspondent

NewsBits.in

Bhopal: Thursday brought another bad news for the fast dwindling population of tigers in Madhya Pradesh as another male tiger was killed on railway track at Budhni Midghat in Hoshangabad district.

The tiger got hit on the railway track some time during the night intervening Wednesday and Thursday. This is the second tiger to be killed by a train in MP in the last three weeks.

On December 6, a tiger was killed near the Majhgawan railway station in Satna district after being severed by a train. Before this a panther and a bear were killed on railway tracks. The Hoshangabad incident is 33rd tiger death in MP during 2016.

Activist Ajay Dubey has pointed out that safety of wild animals, especially rare species tigers is an important issue that is being neglected by state as well as central governments.

The activist cited a letter of former principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) of MP Narendra Kumar written in year 2014. In this letter the PCCF had written to the National Tiger Conservation Authority seeking its intervention to urge the railway authorities to decrease the speed of trains in Shahdol, Umaria, Katni and Bilaspur sections that have frequent tiger movements.

In the letter, Narendra Kumar has said that he had earlier written to railways but did not get any response. He also gave example of decrease of train speed in Gir Lion area in Gujarat to stress his point.

However, there has been no action on this issue on part of either the railways or the NTCA yet, Dubey said. He also condemned the fact that minister of environment and forest Anil Dave belongs to MP, but has failed to do anything or even say anything about the frequent deaths of the big cats in state.

Dubey has said he would register complaints with railway minister,  Dave and the NTCA in the matter to ensure safety of tigers.