SC asks Centre for solution on elephant corridors

The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Central government to come out with a solution to save elephants as it stressed on the need to have elephant corridors across the country.

A bench of Justice Madan B. Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta told Additional Solicitor General A.N.S. Nadkarni, representing the Central government, that there must be a elephant corridor and asked government to find a solution to reduce the animal fatalities due to accidents and other reasons.

Elephant corridors are narrow strips of land that allow elephants to move from one habitat patch to another.

"You have to do something in this elephant corridor issue. Find out some solution. We cannot tell the elephants where they should go... they must have a corridor," the bench said, asking the Central government to come out with a solution within 10 days.

The court also said that notorious sandalwood smuggler Veerappan had almost killed all the elephants and after his death, the number of elephants have improved.

But elephants were now getting killed due to some other reasons, said the bench also referring to the incidents of elephants being run over by trains.

The court was hearing a batch of pleas relating to the issue of having elephant corridors across India.

Earlier, the Central government had told the apex court that a standing committee of the wildlife board would consider suggestions, including making 27 corridors across India for safe passage of elephants and other endangered animals.

The petitions had referred to unnatural deaths of elephants on highways and railway tracks and have said that areas earmarked for these animals were not sufficient.

--IANS

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