<ul><li>Says attackers targeted CCTV to cripple prison security&nbsp;</li><li>Prisons authorities deny prior intel warning&nbsp;</li><li>Yet to ascertain how prisoners obtained two firearms&nbsp;</li><li>Preliminary observations find informants were the first target&nbsp;</li><li>Health Minister denies dengue deaths in prison&nbsp;</li></ul> Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara yesterday (7) alleged that the deadly violence at Negombo prison was an organised attempt by criminal elements to cripple the prison's security systems and protect an illegal drug network operating inside the facility, as the Government announced sweeping reforms to address long-standing weaknesses in the prison system. His remarks came after 27 people, including prison officers and inmates, were killed in violence at the prison on Monday (6). According to the latest figures released by him, seven prison officers and 20 inmates were killed, while 23 prison officers and 54 inmates were injured.Making a special statement in Parliament, Nanayakkara said the Government viewed it as a tragedy. "This is something that should never have happened. Our Government will never treat this incident lightly. Our responsibility is to learn from what went wrong, identify the mistakes, and ensure that something like this never happens again."He said a full investigation is now underway to determine what led to the violence, including whether prison overcrowding, security lapses, or other factors contributed to the incident. He added that the Cabinet of Ministers has already approved the appointment of a committee to investigate the incident, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has launched a probe following a complaint by the Prisons Department, and the Department itself is also conducting an internal inquiry.He further said he had summoned all senior prison officials for a meeting at 7:30 a.m. today (8) to review the incident and discuss measures to prevent similar situations from arising at other prisons.Providing a timeline of events, he said that the first clash occurred around 11 a.m. on 5 July, when a fight broke out between two groups of inmates. He stressed that the initial incident was not a confrontation between prisoners and prison officers. "Thirty-five inmates were injured and two prisoners died. We were able to intervene and bring that situation under control. The attack was not directed at prison officers, and by the evening, the matter had been settled."However, the following morning (Monday), as officers were preparing to escort inmates to court after serving breakfast, he said that another violent confrontation erupted. "Preliminary information suggests that the second clash involved two rival groups linked to narcotics trafficking and organised crime. Prison authorities had recently intensified efforts to prevent drugs from entering the prison and had received intelligence from certain inmates regarding narcotics. The inmates who provided information about drug-related activities became the first targets. That is one reason that we believe that this may have been a conflict connected to narcotics and organised criminal groups. These are only preliminary observations, and the investigation may produce different conclusions." &nbsp;He alleged that a group of inmates then deliberately targeted the prison security infrastructure. "This was not done by everyone. It was carried out by an organised group. They smashed closed circuit television cameras and destroyed a body scanner. What does that indicate? It appears that they were attempting to disable the mechanisms used to stop drugs and other illegal items from entering the prison," he said.Nanayakkara noted that the first prison officers to come under attack were two unarmed officers, and that other officers who rushed to rescue them were also assaulted. "Most of the officers who lost their lives died after being assaulted by inmates. They were attacked with bricks and wooden poles." &nbsp;Speaking further, he said the attackers later broke through an iron gate and attempted to move beyond the secured area. "Had they managed to get outside, there could have been enormous damage. We also know they somehow came into possession of one or two firearms. We don’t yet know whether those weapons were taken from the armoury or seized from the officers. The investigations will establish what happened," he said.He said that prison officers subsequently opened fire in self-defence under powers granted by the Prisons Ordinance. However, he stressed that post-mortem examinations are still underway and that it has not yet been established how each victim died. "At this stage, we can’t say whether every death resulted from gunfire or assaults by inmates. The post-mortem examinations will determine that," he said.Nanayakkara added that a total of 734 inmates identified as having played key roles in the violence had already been transferred to other prisons. "Those who were involved in organising these attacks have been separated and transferred. The situation is gradually returning to normal," he said.Rejecting criticism that the Government had delayed responding to the crisis, he said that the Government had been addressing long-standing problems inherited from previous administrations. He noted that when the Government assumed office, prisons designed to accommodate 10,000 inmates were holding 27,000-29,000 prisoners, creating severe overcrowding.According to him, one major contributor is Amendments introduced in 2022 to the Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, together with delays in obtaining reports from the Government Analyst's (GA) Department. Nanayakkara said that there were 118 vacancies in the GA's Department when the Government took office because those positions had not been filled after 2022, causing significant delays in laboratory reports. "We have already started recruitment. Action has been taken to recruit 72 officers. Ten positions remain vacant, and those too will be filled soon." He explained that Amendments introduced in 2022 shifted the bail jurisdiction for certain drug offences.&nbsp;"Previously, suspects found with a pure quantity of heroin exceeding two grams could seek bail from the High Court (HC). After the Amendment, cases involving more than 10 grams had to be referred to the Court of Appeal (CA). As a result, suspects from Districts such as Jaffna and Badulla are required to travel to Colombo. Another problem is that it is not possible to determine which court had jurisdiction to hear a bail application until the GA confirms the pure weight of the drugs. "It can take a year just to receive the GA's report and determine the appropriate court. Then, another six months before legal proceedings move forward. A person may spend one and a half years in custody before the authorities even establish whether the substance is heroin or something else," he said.&nbsp;He added the Government has already drafted legislation to reverse those provisions. "Within the next one or two months, we will present these amendments. Instead of using the pure weight, jurisdiction will be determined by the gross weight. Cases involving more than 100 grams will go before the CA, and cases involving less than 100 grams will be heard by the relevant HC. That will eliminate nearly a year's delay. We identified the root of the problem," he said.Nanayakkara also said that prison infrastructure is currently being expanded to ease overcrowding and that the Government is introducing a House Arrest Bill to reduce the number of remand prisoners by allowing eligible suspects to be monitored electronically instead of being detained in prison. He further noted that the Prisons Department had 1,347 vacancies when the Government assumed office.&nbsp;"How can you manage nearly 27,000 inmates with that number of vacancies? Since taking office, we have recruited 401 officers, another 222 are currently being recruited, and approval has been obtained for a further 994 positions. It takes time, but we are addressing the shortage," he said.Meanwhile, an adjournment debate on the deadly clashes that occurred at the prison was held in Parliament yesterday from 3.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m., following a request made by the Opposition.&nbsp;Earlier yesterday, a group of Opposition Parliamentarians submitted a letter to the Speaker of Parliament requesting an urgent adjournment debate to draw the Parliament’s attention to the clashes that erupted at the prison. The letter was signed by several Opposition MPs, including Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Kabir Hashim, Sujeewa Senasinghe, Kins Nelson, Rohini Wijerathna, and Hector Appuhamy.Multiple investigations have been launched into the recent unrest at the prison, the Cabinet Spokesperson and Health Minister Dr Nalinda Jayatissa has confirmed. Speaking at the weekly Cabinet media briefing yesterday, Dr Jayatissa said that the Cabinet approved the appointment of an independent three-member committee comprising a retired Supreme Court Judge, a retired official from the Attorney General's Department and a senior attorney-at-law (both President’s Counsels) to investigate the incident. He said that separate investigations are also being carried out by the Negombo Police, the Colombo Crime Division, the CID, and the Department.&nbsp;"The full circumstances surrounding the incident will be established based on the findings of these investigations," he said. Dr Jayatissa has meanwhile rejected reports claiming that around 40 inmates at the prison died after contracting dengue fever. Dr Jayatissa said that the reports were completely false and that no such deaths had occurred. He said that inmates with illnesses are provided with the necessary medical treatment, while those requiring care beyond the capacity of the prison hospital are transferred to nearby hospitals.&nbsp;He added that there had been no reports of deaths caused by a shortage of doctors or healthcare staff at the prison, and that no complaints had been received regarding the treatment provided to inmates. He also said that only one inmate had been reported with a fever on the day before the unrest and that the individual had received medical attention.Also addressing the briefing, prisons Acting Commissioner General (CG), Prasad Hemantha Kumara said that the Prisons Department had not received any prior intelligence warning about the incident. He said that the prison authorities had restored order by 5 July evening after the inmates were returned to their wards and routine activities resumed. According to him, officers who entered the prison the following Monday morning found that a group of inmates had allegedly consumed narcotic tablets and were in an altered mental state, triggering clashes among prisoners.&nbsp;He said that prison officers intervened to bring the situation under control, adding that investigations into the incident are continuing. Kumara yesterday explained the circumstances that led the security forces to open fire during the unrest at the prison on Monday. He made these remarks in response to a question raised by journalists at the weekly Cabinet media briefing held yesterday. According to him, the inmates had first breached the iron security door inside the prison and reached the wooden door beyond it, creating a situation that the authorities feared could not be controlled if they managed to break through the second barrier.&nbsp;He further stated that after forcing open the iron door, inmates allegedly attacked nearby prison officers, and that the only step that could be taken by the security forces to ensure the safety of the prison officers and prevent the inmates from escaping was for the security forces to open fire. Explaining the situation further, Kumara said,&nbsp;“The prison has two main doors, an iron door followed by a wooden door. The inmates broke through the iron door and reached the wooden door. There are valuable items located between these two doors, and it is difficult to estimate the extent of the destruction that could have occurred had they breached the wooden door as well.” He added that several prison officers had been trapped inside the premises during the unrest and were being assaulted by the inmates.&nbsp;“If the prison officers had not acted in this manner while risking their lives, this is not a situation that can be assessed. A number of our prison officers were trapped among the inmates and were being attacked. They entered the premises to prevent a clash between those inmates and rescue them, but they too became trapped”. He further stated that as the inmates broke through the iron door, prison officers opened fire through the wooden door in an attempt to bring the situation under control.

Justice Minister tells Parliament:  ‘Drug gangs behind prison bloodshed’

<ul><li>One more inmate dies; bringing total to 27&nbsp;</li><li>Female inmates continue protest</li><li>Mastermind 'Katuwellegama Suresh' sent to Boossa&nbsp;</li><li>Prison officers summoned for special meeting today&nbsp;</li></ul>﻿Twenty-seven people, including seven Prison officers, have died in the worst violence to hit the Negombo Prison in recent years after a second wave of clashes erupted inside the facility on Monday (6), prompting multiple investigations, a Cabinet-appointed inquiry, and the transfer of hundreds of inmates to prisons across the country.Although authorities said the unrest had been brought under control by yesterday (7) with the deployment of Police, Special Task Force (STF) personnel and the Army, female inmates continued a protest inside the prison, according to Prisons Commissioner and Media Spokesperson A.C. Gajanayake. Twenty critically injured victims have been transferred to the Colombo National Hospital, where several remain in critical condition, while another 58 injured persons are receiving treatment at the Negombo District General Hospital.The violence began on 5 July when a clash broke out between inmates allegedly involved in drug trafficking and another group opposing the drug trade within the prison, leaving two inmates dead and 34 others injured. The unrest escalated again on Monday when prison officers attempting to restore order were reportedly attacked by inmates, resulting in more than 100 casualties. Police said the death toll has now risen to 27, comprising seven Prison officers and 20 inmates, after another injured inmate succumbed to injuries while receiving treatment at the Negombo Hospital.The Negombo Chief Magistrate yesterday (7) ordered separate post-mortem examinations for each victim and directed Police to obtain statements from the families or legal custodians of the deceased before releasing the bodies. Chief Magistrate Thilini Chalani Perera also instructed investigators to submit a progress report on the ongoing inquiry into the incident.The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) have launched investigations into the deadly clashes after obtaining a Court order. The investigations will examine the circumstances surrounding the violence inside the prison and identify those responsible.The Cabinet of Ministers has meanwhile approved the appointment of a three-member committee to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the incident. The committee is chaired by retired Supreme Court Judge Priyantha Fernando and includes retired Additional Solicitor General President's Counsel (PC) Milinda Gunathilaka and Mohan Weerakoon PC. It has been tasked with determining the causes of the violence, recommending legal and administrative action, and proposing measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has also decided to conduct a special inquiry into the incident. Human Rights Commissioner Nimal G. Punchihewa said a team of HRCSL officials visited the prison on Monday to begin investigations but was unable to proceed due to the tense situation. The Commission is expected to commence its inquiry within the next few days.As part of efforts to restore order, around 700 inmates have been transferred from the Negombo Prison to the Angunakolapelessa, Bogambara Open Prison in Pallekele, Dumbara, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Kuruwita Prisons.The inmate identified as 'Katuwellegama Suresh', who is alleged to have orchestrated the unrest, has been transferred to the Boossa Prison. Suresh, who is alleged to be a close associate of organised crime figure 'Kehelbaddara Padme', is facing multiple charges, including offences related to narcotics trafficking, robbery and assault. He is also facing proceedings before the Negombo High Court while remaining in remand custody in another case before the Negombo Magistrate's Court.According to the Prisons Department, the Negombo Prison houses more than 2,400 short-term prisoners and remand inmates, including 26 alleged organised crime gang members linked to various criminal groups.Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara, who visited both the prison and the Negombo Hospital following the unrest, accepted ministerial responsibility for the incident, stating that it had occurred within an institution under his purview.He said the violence appeared to have been a clash between two organised inmate groups and that prison officers had intervened to restore order. He added that the apparent objective of those involved had been to disrupt prison operations.Nanayakkara also revealed that the prison's closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera system and a body scanner were completely destroyed during the violence.He stressed that although the unrest had been brought under control, the loss of life could not be justified and measures must be taken to ensure such an incident does not recur.Meanwhile, post-mortem examinations on those killed were scheduled to be conducted yesterday, with relatives given an opportunity to identify the deceased. The Negombo Hospital displayed photographs of the victims to assist family members with the identification process.Police said investigations into the incident are continuing while security remains heightened at the prison. Senior prison officers from across the country have been summoned for a special meeting today (8) following the violence, Justice Minister Nanayakkara told Parliament yesterday.

Negombo Prison mayhem: Unrest brought under control 

<ul><li>Shortage of District Child Protection Officers</li><li>Govt to amend Law and restructure functioning&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul> The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) is currently operating with a staff shortage of nearly 50 per cent, with the Government taking steps to fill the vacancies, amend the Law governing the institution, and restructure its operations. Responding to a query raised by Opposition Parliamentarian Rohini Kumari Wijerathna Kavirathna in Parliament, the Women and Child Affairs Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj said yesterday (7) that the NCPA has an approved cadre of 618 employees, but that only 336 positions are currently filled, leaving 282 vacancies.&nbsp;"For now, Cabinet of Ministers approval has been granted to recruit 109 officers. Recruitment for 46 positions has already been completed, and interviews are underway to fill the remaining 63 vacancies." She also said that steps have been taken to amend the NCPA Act, No. 50 of 1998, with the proposed amendments already referred to the Legal Draftsman's Department. At the same time, she said that work is underway to restructure the NCPA with the aim of improving its institutional capacity and service delivery. In response to her, Kavirathna claimed that a severe shortage exists among District Child Protection Officers in several Districts. "The NCPA requires 369 District Child Protection Officers, but currently has only 200 in service. The shortage is most acute in the Districts of Puttalam, Badulla, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, and Mannar. Puttalam has only one District Child Protection Officer, whereas Badulla has just three Officers despite the demand for child protection services in those Districts." The NCPA was established by Parliament under the said Act to advise the Government on policies and laws related to preventing child abuse, protecting and supporting victims, and coordinating and monitoring actions against all forms of child abuse.

NCPA operating at half mast 

Indictments were served before the Colombo High Court against three defendants, including former State Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa, over alleged corruption-related offences. The indictments, filed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), were taken up before Colombo High Court Judge Ravindra Premaratne.&nbsp;The Court ordered that each of the three defendants be released on two personal bails of Rs one million each. The Judge also imposed an overseas travel ban, preventing the defendants from leaving the country. In addition, the Court directed that the fingerprints of the defendants be obtained and a report be submitted. The case was fixed for a pre-trial conference on 5 August. Sepalika Saman Kumari and Keerthi Bandara Kotagama have also been named as defendants in the case.According to the CIABOC, the defendants have been charged with committing and aiding and abetting acts of corruption by allegedly using official influence over certain officials attached to the Office for Reparations to secure compensation amounting to Rs 8.85 million.&nbsp;The charges relate to compensation granted for a property, including an illegally constructed building, situated on land owned by the Mahaweli Authority in Kiribbanwewa, Sevanagala, which was damaged during the unrest of 9 May 2022. The prosecution alleges that compensation was obtained despite an earlier decision rejecting the claim for the property.

Shasheendra Rajapaksa, two others indicted 

The Government removed the fuel restrictions previously imposed on Ministers, Parliamentarians and other public officials as part of measures to curb public expenditure during the energy crisis.&nbsp;According to reports, the Secretary to the Finance Ministry has issued a circular informing all Secretaries of Ministries, Provincial Chief Secretaries, Heads of Commissions, Government Departments, District Secretariats, State Corporations and statutory Boards of the decision.The restrictions were introduced following the conflict in the Middle East, with the Government issuing a circular on 2 April directing that fuel allowances for Ministers, Deputy Ministers, MPs and public officials be calculated based on fuel prices that prevailed on 1 March as a cost-management measure.&nbsp;However, the new circular revokes the previous directive. Accordingly, with effect from 1 July, fuel will be issued to Ministers, MPs and other public officials based on prevailing market fuel prices.

 Fuel restrictions on MPs, officials lifted 

SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa has written to Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, urging him to convene a meeting of all political parties that value democracy to discuss the Government’s proposed move to extend the retirement age of Supreme Court Judges.In his letter dated yesterday (7), Rajapaksa claimed that the Government is attempting to extend the tenure of Superior Court Judges without any acceptable or justifiable reason, warning that such a move could undermine the rule of law and negatively impact Sri Lanka’s democratic process.&nbsp;He noted that the proposal has already drawn criticism and opposition from the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, the Commonwealth Lawyers Association and the LAWASIA organisation. Rajapaksa said that, given the concerns raised by these legal bodies, all political parties committed to upholding democracy and the rule of law should unite in opposing the proposal.&nbsp;He requested Premadasa, in his capacity as the Opposition Leader, to convene a discussion involving all democratic political parties on the issue. Rajapaksa also suggested inviting leaders of all political parties that have been represented in Parliament, as well as other political leaders considered appropriate, to participate in the proposed meeting.

Judges retirement age issue: Namal urges Sajith to call all-party meeting

The Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Ministry acknowledged yesterday (7) that it did not carry out a direct assessment to determine whether the economic benefits that Sri Lanka receives from mineral extraction and imports outweigh the related environmental, social, and economic impact and resource depletion costs before drafting this year’s National Mineral Policy.Subject Minister Sunil Handunnetti also said the Ministry is now taking steps to eliminate corruption and irregularities in the mining sector, including alleged misconduct involving certain officials of the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB).The disclosure was made in Parliament yesterday, in response to a question raised by Opposition Parliamentarian Shanakiyan Rasamanickam.In June, Rasamanickam had questioned whether the Government had conducted an independent assessment before formulating the 2026 Policy to determine if the economic returns generated from mineral extraction and imports exceed the environmental damage, social costs, and depletion of non-renewable resources associated with such activities.Responding, Handunnetti admitted that no such direct study had been undertaken. "The Government has not directly studied the extent to which the costs of resolving environmental and social issues, together with resource depletion, outweigh the value gained from the domestic use of minerals or the revenue earned through exports." &nbsp;However, he said that the new Policy had been developed in consideration of several other factors. "The Policy was formulated after reviewing the National Policy introduced in 1999, regulations issued over the years, recommendations made in 2012 on value addition to mineral exports, reports containing data on the domestic industrial demand, global trends, and observations made over the past two and a half decades by environmental groups, social stakeholders, and State institutions responsible for environmental protection," he said, adding that these reviews identified the need for a more effective mineral Policy.He also revealed that the GSMB had issued 471 mineral exploration licences throughout the past. He said that exploration licences were previously valid for a maximum of 10 years, but that that period had later been reduced to five years. "Despite these limits, many companies have been retaining exploration areas for much longer periods. We have observed that many companies obtained licences and remained in the sector for 15 or even 18 years, continuing to hold exploration areas under their control," he said. Handunnetti added that although companies are expected to complete exploration and proceed to mining and value addition to maximise benefits to the national economy, only about 28 mining licences have been issued so far. "Of those, only around five projects are actually engaged in mining operations. Three of those are State-run operations — Mineral Sands, the Eppawala Phosphate Project, and the Kahatagaha Graphite Mine. Only two are operated by private companies." Speaking further, he claimed that many companies had prolonged exploration licences without properly exploring mineral reserves or moving into commercial mining. He noted that these companies had also been unable to recover the substantial investments made on exploration activities because mining had never commenced. Although there is no direct evidence, he said that there is reason to believe that some companies have instead benefited by using exploration licences to enhance their market value. "Rather than focusing on exploration and mining, some companies use the fact that they possess a Government-issued exploration licence to increase the value of their shares in stock markets in Sri Lanka, China, or India."Under the new Policy, he said that licences would be given only to companies that are capable of carrying out all four stages — exploration, mining, processing, and value addition.Rasamanickam then referred to a 2017 Supreme Court determination, saying that, according to the ruling, existing exploration licences could be cancelled. He said that minerals are non-renewable resources and urged the Government to revoke all current licences before issuing new ones under the 2026 policy. "Once these minerals are extracted, they can’t be replaced. My request is that all existing licences be cancelled and future approvals be granted only after proper Initial Environmental Examinations and Environmental Impact Assessments are conducted in line with the new Policy," he said.Responding, Handunnetti said that he agreed with the proposal in principle. "I completely agree with that suggestion. All existing licences are now being examined by a special committee. Decisions on those licences will be taken after considering the committee's recommendations. I agree with your proposal, but, the final decision will be made by the experts," he said.He further alleged that the licensing system had been compromised over the years. " In previous Governments, Directors General of the GSMB issued licences and later became consultants to those same companies. Former Chairpersons and former officials of the Bureau are now serving as consultants. This entire system has to be cleaned up." He stressed that simply transferring officials from one District to another would not solve the problem.&nbsp;"Moving an officer from Batticaloa to Hambantota and another from Hambantota to Batticaloa will not change anything. The person leaving simply hands over the list and says, 'I earned this much from these licences. Don't reduce it.' That is the reality," he alleged. "Even if we summon all 25 officers (a possible reference to GSMB District Officials) every month and question them with reports, photographs, and video recordings, the situation does not change. Many experienced professionals have already left the country, and there are not enough new recruits. That is one of the main problems," he said.He further disclosed that a request has been made to the President to establish a dedicated task force to implement reforms in the mining sector. "We need a separate Task Force. The Special Task Force (STF) should also be deployed where necessary. Closed circuit television (CCTV) camera surveillance must be installed at sand mining sites. Otherwise, it will be impossible to eliminate the sand mafia. Some people obtain a licence for one tipper load of sand but transport four loads using the same permit," he alleged.

Govt. admits: Mineral Policy drafted without impact study

The Government should consider revising the retirement age of officers serving in specialist public institutions, including the Prisons Department, as retaining experienced professionals is essential to maintaining the quality and efficiency of critical State services, said the Justice Minister, attorney Harshana Nanayakkara. Speaking in Parliament yesterday (7), he said: "Any profession requires mature and experienced people if you are to solve difficult problems. In many of these services, officers retire at 55 or 60 years of age. That is not consistent with present-day realities." He revealed that the Department has repeatedly requested an extension of its retirement age. "The Department has made many requests asking us to extend their retirement age, even by one or two years. I believe that the retirement age in the Department should be re-considered as a matter of Government policy," he said. He further said that valuable expertise is also lost in institutions such as the Government Analyst's (GA) Department due to officials' retirement at ages of 55 and 60. "When officers retire at 60, you lose people with years of knowledge and experience. The same situation exists in the Legal Draftsman's Department. These are highly specialised fields," he said. He said that the same principle applies to the Judiciary, noting that High Court Judges currently retire at the age of 60. "If we are serious about retaining professional expertise across selected Government institutions, we have to take a policy decision on retirement ages. Otherwise, we continue losing experienced officers long before suitable replacements are ready." His remarks come amid public criticism over reported Government plans to increase the retirement age of Judges serving in the Superior Courts (Supreme Court and Court of Appeal).

Retirement age review needed to retain expertise: Minister 

The Government has launched an integrated programme combining immediate and long-term measures to address the country’s worsening human-elephant conflict (HEC), the Deputy Environment Minister, Anton Jayakody stated. Speaking at the Environment Ministry premises, Jayakody said that the initiative, launched under the direction of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, seeks to provide a sustainable solution to a problem that has been aggravated by unplanned development and climate change. He said that the Government has taken steps to strengthen the Wildlife Conservation Department by recruiting civil elephant-fence assistants and providing additional vehicles to improve field operations. The restoration of tanks and other water sources within forest reserves has also commenced to ensure adequate water for wild elephants, while habitat enrichment projects are being carried out to remove invasive plant species and establish new grasslands to improve the food availability for wildlife, according to him. Jayakody said that three elephant corridors — Koholankala, Hadapanagala and Wetahirakanda — in the Hambantota and Monaragala Districts have been declared open through gazette notifications to facilitate elephant movement and reduce human-elephant encounters. Similar measures are expected to be expanded to other areas. He also announced the appointment of an expert committee comprising Government officials, technical experts and District representatives to prepare a comprehensive action plan with scientific and practical long-term recommendations. The committee has been tasked with submitting its report to the President within three months.

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