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Human-elephant conflict: Increase in death toll expected

Published

4 years ago

2022/08/15

By Ifham Nizam

The government is planning to go for a complete installation of electric fences, to ward off wild elements in all the districts next year, particularly with a focus on eight districts, the Department of Wildlife Conservation said.A senior official of the Department told The Island that they feared the human-elephant conflict would take a turn for the worse, during the current year. “Death rates are more than 100, with available statistics, and it could increase further.”

During the first four months of 2022, 47 elephant deaths and 34 human deaths were reported. Of these wild elephant deaths, 13 were shot, 17 electrocuted, 19 killed with the help of improvised explosive devices. The human-elephant conflict has intensified during the past three years. About 407 elephant deaths and 122 human deaths were reported in 2019, 328 elephant deaths and 112 human deaths in 2020, 375 elephant deaths and 142 human deaths in 2021..

A discussion on the prevention of elephant-human conflicts, in the Hambantota district, was held on Saturday (13) at the Lunugamwehera Wildlife Office. Wildlife officers and others participated in this event.It was revealed here that the elephant-human conflict existed in 131 regional secretariat jurisdictions, in 19 districts, in eight provinces of Sri Lanka.

Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said that necessary equipment for the construction of electric elephant fences, to cover all areas where wild elephants are threatened in the Hambantota district, had been available in the Lunugamwehera Wildlife Office for some time. However, it was revealed that the construction of the electric fence remains a problem due to farmers’ protests.

The officials said that equipment brought to set up electric fences, by Wildlife offices, countrywide, had not been properly utilized.Therefore, as a step to end the human-elephant conflict,within the next year, the Minister told the Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation Secretary Chandra Herath a consensus had to be reached among all stakeholders for the project to be a success.

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Members of Sri Lanka Cricket Transformation Committee Officially Appointed

Published

1 hour ago

2026/05/5

Priyan

The official appointment letters for the members of the newly established “Cricket Transformation Committee” (CTC) were handed over on Monday (04) by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage.

The following members received their letters of appointment at the Ministry premises:

Sidath Wettimuny
Thushira Radella
Prakash Schaffter
Ms. Avanthi Colombage

The Ministry also noted that veteran cricketers Roshan Mahanama and Kumar Sangakkara, who are key members of the committee, are currently overseas. Their official appointments will be formalised immediately upon their arrival in Sri Lanka.

The Cricket Transformation Committee has been mandated to oversee the administration and drive structural reforms within Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) in accordance with the powers vested in the Minister under the Sports Act No. 25 of 1973.

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Three prison guards arrested following the death of an inmate

Published

2 hours ago

2026/05/5

Priyan

(File pic)

Three prison guards attached to the Welikada Prison have been arrested by Borella Police following the death of an inmate on Monday (04).

News

CJ urged to inquire into AKD’s remarks on May 25 court verdict

Published

6 hours ago

2026/05/5

Sahan Weerasooriya

CJ Surasena

‘Bar Association must reveal its stand’

Civil society group ‘Free Lawyers’ has requested Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena to probe whether political pressure was brought on a Magistrate, or a High Court Judge, in respect of an ongoing high profile case.

Speaking to The Island on behalf of ‘Free Lawyers,’ Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon said that they felt the urgent need to seek the CJ’s intervention, following the May Day declaration by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake that the verdict of a case that was heard on 30 April would be given on 25 May. Tennakoon said that addressing the NPP’s main May Day rally at Maharagama, the President asked the people to be ready to celebrate that verdict. The President couldn’t have said so if he hadn’t been aware of the impending verdict, Tennakoon said, while emphasising the responsibility on the part of the Bar Association to state its position on the issue.

‘Free Lawyers’ recently captured pubic attention following its exposure of the theft of USD 2.5 mn from the Treasury.

Responding to a query, Tennakoon said that on behalf of ‘Free Lawyers,’ Maithri Gunaratne, PC, on Monday, 4 April, wrote to both CJ Surasena and President of the Bar Association Rajeev Amarasuriya.

Alleging that President Dissanayake’s declaration caused immense harm to the independence of the judiciary and raised controversy over the judgement that would be given on 25 May, ‘Free Lawyers’ organisation also asked the CJ to inquire into whether the entire judicial process was under political pressure.

Tennakoon said that they expect the Bar Association to reveal its position on President Dissanayake’s statement. Tennakoon pointed out that during the May Day address, President Dissanayake made reference to 15 cases that were to be taken up during this month, whereas Transport, Highways and Urban Development Minister, as well as Leader of the House Bimal Rathnayake, mentioned nearly 10 names of politicians, both sitting and former lawmakers, to be summoned beginning, May.

Tennakoon said that the NPP appeared to have used May Day to counter growing accusations over the Colombo port container controversy, coal scam, Rs 13.2 bn NDB fraud and theft of USD 2.5 mn from the Treasury and USD 625,000 from the Sri Lanka Postal Service.

By Shamindra Ferdinando