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Elephant deaths due to train accidents
We learnt of the cruel deaths of 4 elephant calves by the Batticaloa bound night mail train, reported to have occurred on August 16 around 11 p.m. near Chettikulam in the Eastern Province.
It comes in the wake of the killing of two other elephants in the Northern Province, a few days ago by another night train!
A few years ago the C.G.R. and the Department of Wild Life Conservation proudly declared that they had implemented a comprehensive plan to end these needless deaths of our precious wild elephants on the rail tracks. What has become of this?
In the past it has been revealed that some of the engine drivers involved had been drunk!
The night trains must be instructed to reduce speed to a crawl as they go through jungle stretches, and these night trains can be fitted with cctv cameras and night vision devices (A special observer to aid the driver to keep a look out would also be valuable).
Special luminous warning signs must also be placed along the approaches to jungle tracks to alert the train crews.
Apart from the gruesome deaths of these animals, it is only a matter of time before there are human casualties.
I hope the authorities would step in and take action to minimize these accidents.
A.C.
Bribery Commission
The Director General of the Bribery Commission is silly to have resigned.
She should have written a polite letter to the President and asked him to send her a List of those who can be prosecuted and those who cannot be prosecuted.
That would have solved the problem.
As a favour she could copy the President’s List, when she receives it, to the other law enforcement agencies like the Police and Excise Department then to the Customs and Inland Revenue.
As a special favour to the rest of us citizens she could forward the List to the Courts as well.
Nihal Ratnayake,
Dehiwala.
‘Ghost Talk’
In my letter ‘Ghost Talk’ in the Sunday Observer of 9 October I have erroneously quoted the name of Ven. Kiribathgoda Gunananda Thera as the author of the book in which photographs of ghosts appear. The book referred to is by Ven. Madawela Upali, the title being, Parapsychology.
The error is regretted.
- V.M. Fernando,
Panadura.