The Hon. Upul Kithsiri

¶ 01 Sir, he spoke about good actors and actresses from the Opposition. You cannot behave like that by making an actor. The people of this country know our history well.

¶ 02 Sir, during this Committee Stage Debate of the Budget, today we are to speak on the Heads of Expenditure of the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs and the Ministry of Environment. This is the first Budget of our Government. Through this Budget we have been able to pay special attention to the wildlife sector.

¶ 03 Sir, human-elephant conflict is a subject that is continuously discussed in our country. To find a sustainable solution to this human-elephant conflict and to put in place the necessary programme to protect the lives of elephants as well as people, funds have been allocated in this Budget. We have allocated Rs. 400 million from this Budget to minimize the human-elephant conflict. In addition, Rs. 274 million has been allocated for the construction of electric fences, and Rs. 160 million has been allocated to establish nutritious feeding zones for wildlife.

¶ 04 Sir, when speaking about the human-elephant conflict, no matter how much the Opposition talks about elephant fences, the movement of elephants cannot be stopped only by erecting a fence. In some places we will have to build elephant fences; in some places we will have to create corridors for elephants; in other places we will have to use advanced biodiversity methods. Also, especially as support for this, we will have to obtain assistance from the people. While working to minimize this conflict, various issues can arise. Therefore, special attention has been paid to this within our Budget.

¶ 05 Sir, we know that a large number of lives are lost due to the human-elephant conflict. According to a survey done 12-13 years ago—while the results of the 2024 survey are not yet out—the elephant population in Sri Lanka is recorded at around 6,000. Sri Lanka is a small land. Of the land area where elephants live, around 30 percent is exclusively elephant habitat, while about 70 percent is a shared landscape where both people and elephants alternate residence. It is within that shared space that the human-elephant conflict is created.

¶ 06 Therefore, to minimize this conflict and to address the various technical and sectoral needs, a large allocation has been made in this Budget. There is also a significant shortage of staff in the Department of Wildlife Conservation. Therefore, discussions are underway at the Ministry level to fill the required cadre. A large number of staff is needed for erecting elephant fences, for field offices in wildlife zones, and for other services.

¶ 07 We must also protect our forest resources. The wildlife sector contributes a significant portion to our Gross National Income. For example, daily revenue at the Udawalawe National Park has reached up to Rs. 10 million. Likewise, daily revenue at the Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home has risen to Rs. 400,000-500,000. Accordingly, the wildlife sector’s contribution to the country’s economy is at a very high value. Therefore, we are attending to the welfare of officers and other needs. We are also working on other national parks like Gal Oya; we have completed surveys in several additional areas to be declared as national parks and are proceeding to dedicate them to the nation.

¶ 08 Sir, the institution training wildlife officers is the Giritale Wildlife Research and Training Centre. We are completing the necessary steps to elevate it to an international training centre. As a Government, we stand at the point that this ecosystem—this biodiversity—must be protected.

¶ 09 Within our small country there exists a large ecosystem in terms of biodiversity. We must protect it. Because, within this small space, a variety of ecosystems found in the world exist; within them are endemic plants, birds, aquatic life, reptiles, and other special fauna contributing to biodiversity. Therefore, we see environmental protection as a main component of our Government. Our National People’s Power Government has allocated a large sum for the wildlife sector in this Budget. We also have a significant amount available from international funds. In the coming period, funds have already been allocated to construct an additional 834 km of elephant fences.

¶ 10 Sir, our country is small, a beautiful island. Both our citizens and foreign tourists recognize that the value lies in this ecosystem. Therefore, for the future generations, we must protect it. We recall how this ecosystem was being destroyed—forests, rivers, canals, streams—through various constructions and political interference, which we saw widely through the media a few years ago. Therefore, our Government has a responsibility to steer away from such situations and protect this precious resource; for that reason, a large allocation has been made in this Budget.

¶ 11 We spoke about a landslide that occurred a few years ago. We all saw the landslide in Meeriyabedda that brought great tragedy, and how many lives were lost. The media raised a huge discussion then. At that time, a special statement that appeared in the media quoted the following:

¶ 12 “Date: 12 March 1970. Place: Colombo, Hyde Park. Time: 4.00 p.m. The inaugural rally of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna. Speaker: Rohana Wijeweera.

¶ 13 “Dear mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters, I speak at this inaugural rally having already accepted a death sentence. After the white imperialists grabbed our motherland by force, they cut down all forest land above 5,000 feet in the hill country and planted tea. Thereafter, the black-whites have continued to cut down the remaining forests causing great devastation.

¶ 14 “If this great deforestation is not stopped, in three to four decades there will be landslides, soil erosion, floods, and ultimately genocide. Given the global condition of this motherland, to maintain the balance of the natural environment, all land above 5,000 feet must necessarily be reforested. Black-whites, stop this forest destruction even now. If you do not, by then I may or may not be among the living, but thousands of people will die from landslides and collapsing mountains, and it will be impossible to prevent it.””

¶ 15 Using that event in Meeriyabedda as a basis, this statement appeared in the media. As we saw then, we must love the environment. With that intention, we continue to work for it. Thank you.