Sitting of Monday, 3 March 2025

Order of business

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

1. 1 Opening Parliament Opening 1 speeches ▸
2. 2 Papers Auditor-General's Report and Ministerial Consultative Committee Report 1 speeches ▸
3. 3 Petitions Petitions 4 speeches ▸
4. 4 Oral question Oral Question: Gem-Mining Permits (Q.1/2025) 6 speeches ▸
5. 5 Oral question Oral Question: Industrial Parks in Elpitiya (Q.2/2025) 8 speeches ▸
6. 6 Oral question Oral Question: Industrial Parks in Sri Lanka - Current Status (Q.5/2025) 7 speeches ▸
7. 7 Oral question Oral Question: Wild Elephants and HEC Deaths (Q.6/2025) 2 speeches ▾
   • The Hon. Darmapriya Wijesinghe (on behalf of the Hon. Ruwan Wijeweera) JJB

     AI summary Darmapriya Wijesinghe, on behalf of Ruwan Wijeweera, asked the Minister of Environment to provide data on Sri Lanka’s wild elephant population and the annual number of wild elephants and tuskers killed due to human-elephant conflict from 2020 to 2024. He also requested an explanation of the main causes of the conflict and the measures being taken to control it, or reasons if the information could not be provided.

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

     AI summary The Minister of Environment tabled a detailed answer on the human-elephant conflict, citing the 2011 survey figure of 5,879 elephants and providing data on elephant and tusker deaths for 2020-2024. The response identified land-use practices, chena cultivation, cattle encroachment, illegal forest entry, crop proximity to protected areas, and paddy storage in houses as key drivers, noting that about half of annual human fatalities are linked to negligence. Measures outlined included expansion and maintenance of electric fencing, deployment of Civil Security personnel and development assistants, use of elephant crackers, compensation payments, GPS collaring, corridor protection, removal of problem elephants, community awareness, and habitat management. The Minister also listed pilot technologies such as locally produced energizers, acoustic and smoke repellents, drones, bee-sound systems, and improved fence designs to assess their effectiveness in reducing conflict.

     Environment Full speech →
8. 8 Oral question Oral Question: TRIAD Company Payment to Urban Development Authority (Q.7-Q.8/2025) 3 speeches ▸
9. 9 Procedural Matter of Privilege: News Report in Sathi Aga Aruna Newspaper 2 speeches ▸
10. 10 Debate Committee Stage Debate: Appropriation Bill 2025 - Head 119 (Ministry of Energy) 94 speeches ▸
11. 11 Procedural Voting on Head 119 and Adjournment Motion 2 speeches ▸
12. 12 Adjournment Adjournment Motion: Reorganization of National Youth Services Council 6 speeches ▸