The Hon. Anton Jayakody

¶ 01 Hon. Member, about 1,665 km of electric fencing have been established, with about 165 km recently. A further 85 km remain, of which around 10 km are ready to commence. The Minister and I visited the area on 04 April. We intend to complete the remaining 85 km expeditiously, with the support of civil and farmers’ organizations in Hambantota. The Ceylon Electricity Board is ready to provide about 96 concrete poles, which we will take delivery of imminently. Construction work has begun; other related work is also underway. Funds from this year’s Budget will also be allocated to this purpose.

¶ 02 Beyond construction, maintenance is critical. Many fences fail due to poor maintenance. We are arranging for proper upkeep. We are prepared to regularize about 3,531 multipurpose workers to maintain and protect the fences; due to the election period, appointments are pending. Immediately after elections, we will regularize them and deploy via the Department of Wildlife Conservation.