News

Politicians, henchmen encroach on sanctuary

Published

5 years ago

2021/02/1

By Ifham Nizam

More than 100 villagers with the backing of local politicians yesterday started clearing forests at the Dahayiyagala sanctuary despite objections from some 50 Wildlife department officers.

A Wildlife Officer told The Island these lands come under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance and any human activity there was illegal.

The Rally for Animal Rights and Environment (RARE) said that a campaign to clear 300 acres of forest had been launched. “

An environmental Scientist warned the forest clearance would aggravate the human-elephant conflict.

The Island on its Friday edition reported a move to degazette more forest lands belonging to the Dahayiyagala sanctuary, which serves as a corridor for the elephants in the Udawalawa National Park and the Lunugamwehere National Park to migrate.

It was an important moving path for the elephants and they frequently use it for reaching the salt lick at the Bogaha Pattiya area, an authority on Elephants, Supun Lahiru Prakash of the Biodiversity Conservation and Research Circle told The Island.

Some 2586 ha of land was gazetted as the Dahayiyagala sanctuary on 7th June 2002, by considering its role as an elephant corridor.

In 2008, a similar attempt was made by the particular politicians to encroach the sanctuary, but it failed, when Wildlife officers, local community organizations, and environmental activists objected.

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News

Cabinet nod to accept Japanese government grant of 08 used low floorboard buses

Published

53 mins ago

2026/03/4

Priyan

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development to accept 08 used low floorboard buses offered as a grant by the Government of Japan.

News

Payment of the financial subsidy for fertilizer to farmers cultivating paddy lands for the Yala season 2026.

Published

1 hour ago

2026/03/4

Priyan

While approval has been granted at the Cabinet meeting held on 18.08.2025 to pay the financial subsidy for fertilizer to farmers cultivating paddy lands for the Maha season 2025/26, the programme is planned to be continued for the Yala season 2026 as well.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation to pay a financial subsidy of Rupees 25,000/- per hectare and for a maximum of 02 hectares per farmer for paddy cultivation and to pay Rupees 15,000/- per hectare for field crops cultivated in paddy lands[maximum of 02 hectares per farmer]

News

Ministerial Committee appointed to submit recommendations on proposed program to mitigate loss of crops to wild animals

Published

1 hour ago

2026/03/4

Priyan

The rural agricultural livelihood and food security have been severely impacted due to the damage caused by wild animals such as elephants, wild boars, monkeys, toque macaque, squirrels, and peacocks roaming around human habitats and cultivated lands.

Animal-human conflicts and property destruction have mostly been reported around these areas, and serious social and economic issues have also arisen.

Therefore, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation has prepared a comprehensive program based on the opinions of all stakeholders, including the public, university community, farmers’ organizations, environmentalists, non-governmental organizations which work for environmental issues, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Agrarian Development, and other relevant organizations.

Taking into consideration the report submitted by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation, the Cabinet of Ministers has decided to appoint a ministerial committee with the participation of other relevant ministers, chaired by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation, to submit appropriate recommendations on how the aforementioned program should be implemented by further reviewing the proposals included in the said program and incorporating new proposals.