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10th Parliament· 154 sittings on record · 30,475 speeches · latest 10 June 2026

Sitting of Wednesday, 22 January 2025

10th Parliament· 16 debates· 152 speeches· 63 speakers

Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 1739261035021938 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard

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Order of business

Speeches load per item. Summaries shown here are AI-generated and labelled; verbatim text is on each speech page.

  3. 3 Oral question Oral Question: Wild Elephant Detention Centre in Lunugamwehera (Q.1/2025) 6 speeches
    • The Hon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi SJB

      AI summary Asked the Minister of Environment whether he was aware of the wild elephant detention centre project in Lunugamwehera National Park, including its expenditure and funding sources. He further asked whether the project had reportedly failed and, if so, what remedial steps the Ministry intended to take.

      Environment Full speech →
    • The Hon. Dammika Patabendi - Minister of Environment JJB

      AI summary Minister Dammika Patabendi replied that Rs. 431.89 million had been spent on the Lunugamwehera National Park elephant detention centre, including tanks, roads, culverts, vegetation clearance, fencing, and railway sleeper transport. He stated that funding came from the World Bank’s Ecosystem Conservation and Management Project and the Wildlife Conservation Fund. He acknowledged allegations regarding the project and said a preliminary ministerial inquiry is underway, with further action to depend on its findings.

      Public FinanceEnvironment Full speech →
    • The Hon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi SJB

      AI summary Hon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi questioned the implementation of the Lunugamwehera project, citing allegations that vested interests outweighed public needs under the previous Government. He noted deficiencies in elephant protection centres, including in Kolonna, Ratnapura and Udawalawe, where basic resources were lacking despite their tourism importance. He asked whether the Minister had identified new programmes and approaches for elephant conservation or would continue with existing plans and officials.

      Corruption & Governance ReformPublic FinanceEnvironment Full speech →
    • The Hon. Dammika Patabendi - Minister of Environment JJB

      AI summary The Minister stated that past policy failures had worsened the human–elephant conflict and placed both communities and elephants at risk. He said the Government is consulting experts, collecting information, and preparing a systematic programme for elephant conservation and urgent intervention to restore balance between humans and elephants.

      Environment Full speech →
    • The Hon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi SJB

      AI summary Hon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi asked whether the Government has a concrete programme to address the intensifying human-elephant conflict, citing recent protests in Anuradhapura and reports of rising elephant and human deaths. He criticized past temporary measures and alleged politically influenced, ineffective spending, and called for policy decisions and official intervention to protect both people and elephants.

      Law & OrderEnvironment Full speech →
    • The Hon. Dammika Patabendi - Minister of Environment JJB

      AI summary The Minister stated that the human-elephant conflict had been worsened by successive governments over many years and said the current Government aims to protect both elephants and human lives through scientific short- and long-term measures. He noted that, although the Government had been in office for only about two months, it was conducting a detailed study to provide sustainable solutions while implementing immediate interventions in affected areas.

      Environment Full speech →