The Ministerial Consultative Committee on Environmental Affairs held an extensive discussion on the issue of human-animal conflicts, emphasizing the need to implement necessary scientific solutions.
During the meeting, the roles of various institutions were discussed separately, highlighting key issues such as the increasing wildlife problems and the shortage of both human and physical resources needed to address them.
Committee members raised concerns regarding the conflicts between elephants and other animals that cause significant damage to crops, including wild boars, toque macaques, and peacocks. The discussion underscored the urgent need to take measures to control the breeding of toque macaques, giant squirrels, and peacocks, as failure to do so could result in a major agricultural crisis. Minister Dr. Dhammika Patabendi acknowledged the difficulty of providing immediate solutions but assured that efforts are being made to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
Additionally, Deputy Minister Anton Jayakody provided an update on the government’s initiatives to mitigate the human-elephant conflict. He stated that elephant movement corridors have been identified and measures are being taken to clear obstructed pathways. He further announced that within two weeks, camera systems would be installed to prevent train collisions with elephants.
The committee, chaired by Minister Dr. Dhammika Patabendi, also discussed issues related to illegal sand mining, with Deputy Minister Jayakody revealing that approximately 50% of sand mining activities in the country are illegal.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa raised concerns regarding the adequacy of manpower in the Department of Wildlife and inquired about the government’s policy on crop insurance, life insurance, and property insurance. In response, Deputy Minister Jayakody stated that the government has taken steps to double insurance compensation. He further stressed that, despite such measures, the government’s primary objective is to prevent the loss of lives and property.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Minister Anton Jayakody, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, and other Members of Parliament.
