Javadekar asks Assam to take cost-effective measures to prevent animal deaths

Concerned about the loss of wildlife in Assam, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday asked the state to take cost-effective measures to prevent animal deaths in annual floods and vehicular accidents.

Javadekar asked Assam Forest Minister Parimal Suklabaidya to install speed governors, signages and over passes.

The meeting comes ahead of the annual monsoon season, which commences in Assam in May-end and leads to flooding and loss of the wildlife, a ministry official said.

"Chaired a meeting through video conferencing with the Assam forest minister and his team on issues related to the mitigation of losses of wildlife due to annual floods at Kaziranga and other protected areas of Assam.

"Also directed to make over-passes, install speed governors, signages, gates and other cost effective mitigation measures for prevention of killings of wild animals due to accidental hits by vehicles," Javadekar tweeted.

The meeting was also attended by the Minister of State for Environment Babul Supriyo.

Javadekar asked the state government to monitor movement of heavily loaded vehicles near Kaziranga National Park.

"Asked the state government to develop a robust system to monitor the movement of heavily loaded vehicles plying on roads passing through Kaziranga National Park in Assam.

"Directed that more highlands may be made for wild animals, to take shelter at the time of floods," he tweeted.