The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, I have a clarification. The Minister said I misled the public. Media widely reported 2024–2025 elephant death numbers. I did not intend to mislead. My written question states clearly that previous governments did not act. You also acknowledged Asian elephants are threatened, but Sri Lanka’s numbers rose 27% from 2011 to 2024. If there were 7,500 elephants, removing 400 brings it closer to 7,000. Please check the specific case: after the driver change at Mahawa, during this year alone about 12 elephants died due to collisions with the Meenagaya. If I am wrong, verify and inform me; let us both check how many died on that service this year.

¶ 02 Also, that driver is 67 and still operating the Mahawa–Batticaloa leg. He does not control speed, leading to elephants being flung into light posts and homes. This was shown in newspapers and on TV. I am not misleading the public. Elephants are dying daily, in reservoirs and forests. How many have been rehabilitated with medicine? Not even one. That is why I raised this issue.