Action plan to tackle human-elephant conflict before President within two weeks

Text and pic by PRIYAN DE SILVA

Dr Sumith  Pilapitiya, a member of the  three-member committee appointed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to find a stable solution to the human-elephant conflict (HEC) told stakeholders who made suggestions to the committee on Wednesday (30) that the action plan would be presented to the President within the next two weeks.  

The committee comprises Vernon Perera, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Conservation, Dr Sumith Pilapitiya and Dr Prithiviraj Fernando Chairman of the Centre for Conservation and Research Sri Lanka ((CCR). 

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa directed officials to the devise a sustainable solution to human-elephant conflict within two years.

Pilapitiya said that the Wildlife Department had to protect 1.2 million hectares (nearly 66% of the country). He reiterated that it was a proven fact that community owned and maintained electric fences were more effective to keep elephants away from cultivations and villages than those maintained by the government.  

Hasitha Wijenayake of Human Society International queried if the action plan proposed by the committee would be in conflict with the Sustainable Development Goals.  

Tina Jayaratnam suggested that the available data on elephant movements be made available online to help other entities plan land use at the District and Divisional level. 

Sarath Ganegoda, an animal lover, suggested that people living within wildlife sanctuaries be relocated.  

Namal Kamalgoda said the government had to optimise the use of arable land in areas where there were no elephants instead of allocating lands for cultivation in areas where elephants roamed. 

Ranil Pieris said that only one third of the arable land which amounted to 30% of the existing land area was being used for agriculture and suggested that vertical living for rural societies be looked into. 

Ashani, a lecturer at the University of Kelaniya suggested Banyan Trees (Ficus benghalensis) as an alternative to electric fences. While a retired employee of the Department of Railways suggested using the thousands of discarded rails to construct barriers to keep elephants away. 

Rev. Joseph Jeyaraj Chairman of the Call to Fair and Share Foundation and its project Director Sriyananda suggested the use of flexible rubber posts for fencing, growing a bio fence and reforestation of wildlife life reserves. They said that they had presented their proposal to the 2018 Peace Forum and were able to raise five billion rupees for the project if the government gave them the green light. 

A business entity made a presentation on an electric fence and a studded mat which would keep the elephants away.

Amrith Jayewardene said that the proposals should have been implemented two decades back and suggested a warning system on problem elephants based on a PPGIS.

There were requests from more than one stakeholder to do away with the ‘elephant crackers’ being used to drive away elephants from crops and villages as they made the elephants more aggressive.

In reply to a question raised by Jehan Canageratne, Secretary of the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society Dr Sumith Pilapitiya said that it was imperative that the action plan presented to the President should be implemented fully.

Everyone present commended the very informative presentation made by Dr Prithiviraj Fernando on the Human Elephant Conflict.