National Action Plan to curb human-elephant conflict: AG

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda 

The Attorney General yesterday informed the Court of Appeal  that a National Action Plan is currently being prepared by the  authorities for the mitigation of the human-elephant conflict in the  country.  

State Counsel Shemanti Dunuwille, appearing for the  Attorney General, made these remarks when a writ petition filed seeking  an order directing the authorities to detect and remove illegal electric  fences, in order to ensure the protection and conservation of  elephants, was taken up before the Court of Appeal.  

She further assured the court that a copy of the National  Action Plan would be submitted to the Court by way of a motion once the  drafting process is finalised.  

Accordingly, the petition was fixed for support on January  21 next year by a two-judge bench of the Court of Appeal comprising  Justice (President) Rohantha Abeysuriya and Justice K. Priyantha  Fernando. Senior Counsel Sandamal Rajapakse, with Counsel Harsha Mendis,  appeared for the petitioner.  

The petitioner, K. Priyadarshani, President of the  Association for the Protection of Elephants and Tuskers, filed this  petition, naming as respondents the Director General of the Department  of Wildlife Conservation, M.G.C. Sooriyabandara, Minister of Environment  Dammika Patabendi, the Chairman of the Ceylon Electricity Board and  several others.  

The petitioner stated that Sri Lanka lost 488 elephants in  2023, and by the end of November 2024, a further 354 elephants had been  lost. Of these, approximately 72 elephants were killed due to  electrocution in 2023, while 49 suffered the same fate in 2024.  

The petitioner further submitted that the iconic tusker  known as Deega Danthu, aged between 45 and 50 years, who roamed the  areas of Kala Wewa, Balalu Wewa, and the surrounding jungles in  Kekirawa, was found dead on November 27, 2024, on the land belonging to  Disanayaka Mudiyanselage Upul Priyantha Bandara, located in the  Palagala, Inguruwewa area.  

According to reports filed before the Magistrate’s Court,  it is evident that Deega Danthu was killed due to electrocution caused  by an illegally constructed electric fence powered by a battery and  connected to a high-voltage line surrounding the suspect’s residence.  

The petitioner stated that while electric fencing can be  used as a preventive measure to deter wild elephants from entering  villages, it must be designed solely to repel, not to harm or kill them.  In this instance, the individual responsible for the death of the  tusker unlawfully employed a high-voltage current for lethal purposes.