PETA writes to Mamata Banerjee on elephants' death

The Peoples' Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) today sent a letter to Union railways' minister Mamata Banerjee urging her to take immediate steps to stop accidental killing of elephants by trains.
       
Referring to the killing of four elephants, including two calves, in Assam's Karbi Anglong district on January 2, the animal rights organisation pointed out in the letter that the recent tragedy was just the latest in a long line of railway accidents that have been killed and injured many elephants.
       
PETA's representative Ashish Verma pointed out that elephant herds travel long distances in search of food along traditional migration routes which possibly have been in use for centuries.
       
''The presence of railways in protected areas around the country has caused the accidental deaths of wild elephants and no suitable steps have been taken to protect them from harm'', he said.
      
PETA also recommended various measures which include reducing train speeds in forest areas, improving visibility, regulating garbage disposals and restoring migration corridors without railway tracks among others.