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SL’s short-sighted development policies have worsened Human-Elephant conflict – Ex Wildlife DG

Published

5 years ago

2021/03/28

by Ifham Nizam

Sri Lanka seems to have adopted short-sighted development policies that have aggravated the Human-Elephant conflict (HEC), former Wildlife Department Director-General, Dr. Sumith Pilapitiya said, while adding that little has changed in the approach towards mitigating the conflict over the past 60 years.

“The mitigation measures have been ineffective as evidenced by the rapidly escalating casualties among both humans and elephants, resulting in Sri Lanka being listed as the country with the highest casualties from the HEC in the world”, he told a discussion on the National Symposium on Human-Elephant Conflict in Sri Lanka held at the Waters Edge Hotel last week.

The event was organized by the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ).

“It is therefore time for a paradigm shift in our approach towards mitigating the HEC. A road map for this purpose was prepared by a Presidential Committee appointed to formulate a National Action Plan for Human-Elephant Conflict Mitigation and submitted to the government in November 2020”, Pilapitiya noted.

The National Action Plan was worked out on the instructions of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa but it has been pigeonholed at the President’s office, while the authorities continue to violate the recommendations in it, says Supun Lahiru Prakash, Elephant Researcher and Convener of the Biodiversity Conservation and Research Circle.

A multi-stakeholder committee was chaired by eminent Asian elephant researcher and expert, Dr. Prithiviraj Fernando and the report was handed over to the government on December 17, 2020. Though three months have elapsed, nothing had happened, he complained.

He said that the average human death rate due to HEC in Sri Lanka was 71 from 2005–2010 and 54 from 1992–2001. The human death rate increased by about 14% from the previous decade and by about 50% in comparison to the past two decades. The number of deaths in this connection spiked to 112 in 2020, which reflects a sharp increase.

On the other hand, 272 elephants died on an average every year between 2011 and 2020 and exceeded 400 in 2020. In 2005–2010, the elephant death rate was 200 and in 1992–2001 it was 137. Therefore, the elephant death rate has increased by about 31% from the previous decade and by about 92% from two decades ago. The elephant death rate shot up to 300 plus for the first time in 2018 and to 400 the following year. The deaths in 2019 are double the average from a decade ago, he noted.

Wildlife Department officials have no knowledge in implementing policies and the position they have now adopted will result in farmers being denied firearms to control wild animals, said Senior Professor Devaka Weerakoon of the Department of Zoology and Environment Sciences.

“The fallout of this would be the caging of more and more troublesome animals as the Wildlife Ministry Secretary says that steps have been taken to capture animals”, he pointed out.

“I don’t understand how people think in terms of caging all troublesome animal species”, he added.

He said pressure should be exerted on the government for an immediate course corrective measures. The situation should not be allowed to go from bad to worse.

Scientist, Dr. Prithiviraj Fernando said that data has been obtained on the movement of elephants by radio tracking almost 100 animals. Countrywide surveys have also been conducted on elephant distribution.

“We have assessed the impact of management actions on elephants and the responses to them. Now, we know that elephants in Sri Lanka do not migrate long distances but live in home ranges of around 20,000 ha that may be completely inside or outside protected areas,” he noted.

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INS GHARIAL makes port call in Colombo

Published

3 hours ago

2026/02/6

Priyan

The Indian Naval Ship (INS) GHARIAL made a port call in Colombo for operational turnarounds on 04 Feb 26. The Sri Lanka Navy welcomed the visiting ship in compliance with naval traditions.

Commanded by Commander Gaurav Tewari, INS GHARIAL is a vessel with a length of 124.8 meters.

During this visit, ten (10) Bailey Bridges, brought by ship, through the coordination of the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka, will be handed over to the Disaster Management Center. These bridges will provide temporary transportation links while bridges damaged across the island by adverse weather conditions are repaired.

The crew’s itinerary features scheduled goodwill activities with the Sri Lanka Navy, alongside visits to several tourist attractions across the island.

News

Speaker’s personal secretary accused of interference with ongoing bribery investigation

Published

4 hours ago

2026/02/6

Thilina Walpola

Harshana

SJB Gampaha District MP Harshana Rajakaruna yesterday told Parliament that the Speaker’s Personal Secretary had written to the Secretary-General of Parliament seeking information on a complaint lodged with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) by a former Deputy Secretary of Parliament against the Speaker. Rajakaruna called for an immediate investigation into what he described as interference with an ongoing probe.

Raising the matter in the House, Rajakaruna said he had formally requested the Commission to initiate an inquiry into the conduct of the Speaker’s Personal Secretary, Chameera Gallage, questioning the authority under which such information had been sought.

Rajapakaruna tabled in Parliament a copy of the letter allegedly sent by Gallage to the Secretary-General requesting details of the bribery complaint.

Addressing the House, Rajakaruna said that the letter, sent two days earlier, had sought “full details” of the complaint against the Speaker. He maintained that seeking such information amounted to interference with an investigation and constituted a serious offence under the Bribery Act.

“The Speaker’s Secretary has no right to interfere with the work of the Bribery Commission. Under what law is he acting? What authority does he have? The Speaker, like everyone else, is subject to the law of the land,” Rajakaruna said, urging the Commission to take immediate action.

He noted that the Bribery Act treated the obstruction of investigations and the destruction of documents relating to such inquiries as serious offences punishable by law, and said he believed the Minister of Justice would concur.

The allegations sparked sharp reactions in the Chamber, as Opposition members called for accountability and due process in relation to the complaint against the Speaker.

By Saman Indrajith

News

Govt: Average power generation cost reduced from Rs. 37 to Rs. 29

Published

4 hours ago

2026/02/6

Thilina Walpola

Kumara

The Ceylon Electricity Board has managed to reduce the average cost of electricity generation from Rs. 37 per unit to Rs. 29, marking a 22 percent reduction, Minister of Power and Energy Eng. Kumara Jayakody told Parliament yesterday.

Responding to an oral question raised by Opposition MP Ravi Karunanayake, the Minister said that electricity tariffs cannot be reduced unless the cost of generation is brought down.

“You cannot reduce electricity tariffs without reducing the cost of generation. What we are currently doing is buying at a higher price and selling at a lower price. When we assumed office, the cost of purchasing and generating electricity was Rs. 37 per unit. We have now managed to bring it down to Rs. 29, a reduction of 22 percent.

Our target is to further reduce this to Rs. 25. Once that is achieved, we will reduce electricity tariffs by 30 percent within three years, as we promised,” Minister Jayakody said.

He added that the government has already formulated a long-term generation plan to further expand the country’s power generation capacity.

According to the Minister, key measures include increasing the absorption of renewable energy into the national grid, expanding the national transmission and distribution network, introducing renewable energy storage systems, and constructing thermal and liquefied natural gas (LNG) power plants to replace aging facilities and meet future demand.

He also said that steps would be taken to enhance the capacity of existing hydropower plants as part of the broader strategy to ensure energy security and reduce long-term electricity costs.

By Ifham Nizam