News

Deforestation in Anuradhapura has increased human elephant conflict – Environmentalist

Published

4 years ago

2022/11/4

By Rathindra Kuruwita

The escalation of human-elephant conflict is the result of mass scale deforestation over the years, Sajeewa Chamikara of the Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR) said, commenting on recent incidents in Kebithigollewa, where a police sergeant was killed by a group of angry villagers during a protest following a wild elephant attack.

“If you look at districts like Anuradhapura, Kurunegala and Vavuniya, there has been large scale deforestation. Large swaths of forest land have been cleared for development projects and commercial agriculture. A large number of elephants have lost their habitat. And this is the outcome of the unplanned development,” he said.

Unfortunately, most people affected by the human-elephant conflict thought that the elephants invaded their villages due to the inaction of the wildlife Department officers, and the police, Chamikara said.

“When TV crews visit villages affected by the human-elephant conflict, villages blame the Wildlife Department and the police for inaction. They need to be educated that the increased human-elephant conflict is due to deforestation. For example in the Anuradhapura District 15,000 acres are to be cleared for Lower Malwathu Oya Reservoir. The clearing of forests started in 2021. Then, there is a project to plant aloevera on 114,066 acres. This is about 20 percent of the Anuradhapura District and large swaths of forest have been cleared for this. He said.

Chamikara added that the Gotabaya Rajapaksa administration removed other state forest lands from the purview of the Department of Forest Conservation though 01/2020 and 02/2021 circulars. The administration of these lands are now under the Divisional Secretaries.

“In 2001, these forest lands were taken away from the Divisional Secretaries because they were authorising projects that ruined the environment. Deforestation increased after these forests were placed under Divisional Secretaries. An increase in the intensity of the human-elephant conflict is the result of this. While the Department of Wildlife is also responsible for the increased human-elephant conflict, politicians and state officials who authorised and encouraged deforestation must be held responsible for this catastrophe,” he said. Chamikara said that the human-elephant conflict was multifaceted and clashes between people affected and state officials closest to them were unfortunate.

All News Advertisement

News

“Rathuwewi Mihimadala” Book Launched with the Participation of the Prime Minister

Published

2 hours ago

2026/08/30

Priyan

The book “Rathuwewi Mihimadala”, written based on the life story of Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Leader of the Democratic Left Front, was launched on Friday [August 28] at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo, with the participation of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.

Speaking to the media afterwards about Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated:

“Vasudeva Nanayakkara is a prominent figure in Sri Lankan politics, particularly within the left-wing political movement. There were several influential figures within the left movement, and that left-wing influence also contributed to bringing the country to where it is today. Politically, there were areas where we agreed and areas where we did not. However, I have great respect for the contribution made by Vasudeva Nanayakkara to left-wing politics. When I entered Parliament in 2020, Vasudeva Nanayakkara was also in Parliament. We sat in the same row, and we spoke about many important as well as interesting moments in his political career. I believe some of these experiences have also been included in this book.”

The event was attended by members of the Maha Sangha, Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara, former President Maithripala Sirisena, former Speakers Karu Jayasuriya and Chamal Rajapaksa, as well as party members, family members and friends.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

Latest News

Sun directly overhead Mannar, Periyamadu, Puliyankulam, Welioya and Pulmoddai about 12.11 noon today (30)

Published

12 hours ago

2026/08/30

Priyan

The sun is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka from 28th of August to 07th of September due to its apparent southward relative motion.

The nearest places of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (30) are Mannar, Periyamadu, Puliyankulam, Welioya and
Pulmoddai about 12.11 noon.

News

Lanka tracks 11 US-sanctioned Iranian tankers off coast

Published

14 hours ago

2026/08/30

Thilina Walpola

(AFP) Sri Lanka’s maritime authorities were monitoring a fleet of 11 US-sanctioned Iranian oil tankers just off the island’s southern coast, the foreign minister said Wednesday.

The tankers were spotted close to the Galle harbour where an Iranian frigate, IRIS Dena, was sunk by a US submarine in March, killing 104 sailors. Sri Lanka’s navy rescued 32 Iranian sailors from that frigate.

Iranian vessels have been in limbo, unable to return to their home port because of a US blockade.

Sri Lanka’s Foreign minister Vijitha Herath said the tankers were in international waters where they had freedom of navigation.

“These ships are away from our territorial waters… we have no hold on them, nor have we facilitated them,” Herath told AFP.

The military deployed reconnaissance aircraft and patrol boats to monitor the vessels outside Sri Lanka’s 12-nautical-mile territorial waters, a military official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

“There is no indication of any ship-to-ship transfer of oil or illegal discharge of pollutants, so there is no basis for Sri Lankan authorities to take action against them,” the official said.

Many Iranian merchant vessels moved east towards the Strait of Malacca and Singapore due to US sanctions, while several remained near Sri Lankan waters, authorities said.

Sri Lankan officials said Washington had not formally notified Colombo about sanctioned Iranian-flagged vessels