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What is govt. doing with National Action Plan to mitigate human-elephant conflict presented over three months back?
By Rathindra Kuruwita
The human–elephant conflict has taken a turn for the worse in the Polonnaruwa District since 2011 due to rapid deforestation, Convener of the Biodiversity Conservation and Research Circle, Supun Lahiru Prakash says.
Prakash said that Polonnaruwa was the district with the second highest deaths, injuries and property damage due to the human–elephant conflict. At the Divisional Secretariat level, Dimbulagala and Welikanda DS areas had recorded the highest number of deaths, human and elephant, with Hingurakgoda DS in fifth position.
“Polonnaruwa was once relatively unaffected by the Human–Elephant Conflict. Even in the 2011 elephant survey, 82% of elephants in the Mahaweli administrative region in Polonnaruwa, lived inside areas that were protected by the Department of Wildlife Conservation. Things changed dramatically afterwards. Large swaths of forest land in and around Somawathiya, Flood Plans and Maduru Oya national parks were released for large scale agriculture projects and now a lot more elephants live outside protected areas,” he said.
Prakash said that the deaths of both humans and elephants had risen for decades. On average about 84 people had died each year between 2011 and 2020 due to the Human–Elephant Conflict. The average was 71 between 2005 and 2010 and 54 between 1992 and 2001. The numbers showed that human death rate had increased by about 14% from the previous decade and by about 50% from two decades ago.
“Averages actually can be deceiving when it comes to the current situation. 112 humans died in 2020. On average 272 elephants died every year between 2011 and 2020. The number exceeded 400 in 2020. In 2005–2010 the elephant death rate was 200 per year and in 1992–2001 it was 137. Therefore, the elephant death rate has increased by about 31% from the previous decade and by about 92% from two decades ago. The elephant death rate shows an extremely high increase recently, exceeding 300 for the first time in 2018 and 400 just a year after. The deaths in 2019 are double the average from a decade ago,” he said.
The wild life enthusiast said that the Human – Elephant Conflict had spread to about 60% of Sri Lanka and it was due to the reduced quality and the quantity of the elephant home ranges, fragmentation of remaining home ranges, and repeating the failed mitigation measures. He said that Elephants were driven away from their home ranges due to various reasons ranging from development projects to illegal encroachments.
“Meanwhile the quality of the remaining home ranges is reduced by invasive plant species, illegal activities and livestock herding inside home ranges. Furthermore, conventional mitigation measures such as erecting electric fences in protected area boundaries, elephant drives, and elephant holding grounds are outdated and have failed in addressing Human – Elephant Conflict in the country,” he said.
Prakash said that the National Action Plan for the Mitigation of Human-Elephant Conflict, prepared on a directive of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, had apparently been discarded and the government was violating those recommendations. The Action plan was prepared by a multi-stakeholder committee chaired by elephant researcher, Dr. Prithiviraj Fernando and was handed over to the government on 17 December 2020.
“After three months, nothing has happened and by inaction the government continues to fuel the conflict in the country,” he charged.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
