The Hon. (Dr.) Dammika Patabendi - Minister of Environment

¶ 01 Hon. Member, we recognize that the human-elephant conflict is a highly sensitive issue; both people and elephants are dying. Since assuming office, we have been working to seek scientific solutions. Past wrong political practices and environmental destruction — habitat loss, loss of nutrition sites — exacerbated the conflict.

¶ 02 Our Government has intervened for over a year to strengthen the Department with human and physical resources. We are preparing a scientific action plan. Even the Supreme Court has been informed about the need for such a plan. Although a plan was presented in 2020, it needs updating and stronger implementation powers. We intend to appoint an expert committee to update and implement a scientific action plan while continuing daily mitigation: strengthening resources, naturalizing elephant fences, establishing nutrition sites, and advancing the elephant corridors declaration. We expect concrete solutions in the near term.