Elephant-Human conflict:

More CDF personnel to protect electric fence

CHAMINDA PERERA

The Government will deploy 3,000 Civil Defence Force (CDF) personnel, in a bid to protect the 1,400 Km stretch of electric fence to prevent elephants from entering villages.

According to Agrarian Services and Wildlife Minister S M Chandrasena a CDF personnel will have to keep vigilance on a stretch of 3 Km live fence. Over 300 CDF personnel are engaged in protecting the live fences in many areas where elephant - human conflict is rampant.

The Minister assured that the Ministry has planned a scheme through which the elephant - human conflict can be eradicated within two months. He said the methodology adopted by the Ministry to avert the elephant- human conflict varies from one area to another.

Minister Chandrasena added they are promoting various other methods which will lead to the eradication of this menace. The Wildlife Department has already planned to develop tanks and canals within the national parks so that elephants and other animals would not enter village in search of water and foods.

Wildlife Department Director General Dr Chandrawansa Pathiraja said the income of the Wildlife Department has doubled in 2010 when compared to 2009. The Department earned an income of Rs 400 million during the course of 2010 as against Rs 200 million income posted in 2009.

He said the Ministry has allocated to the Department over Rs 300 million for the projects which are aimed at promoting elephant - human co-existence. Dr Pathiraja said special places will be established in wildlife sanctuaries for local and foreign tourists to watch elephant movements.

He said the Department will launch a number of programs to attract more tourists to the wildlife sanctuaries. Only 10 percent of tourists who arrive in the country visit the national parks and plans are in place to increase the number of tourists visiting the parks to 30 percent.