'Global forest network should be conserved'

Environment Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa told an international workshop held in New Delhi for conserving elephants that the global forest network should be conserved to suit the existence and living of wild elephants in the world. He said that the Sri Lankan Government had taken this need into serious consideration and formulating plans to preserve the forests according to the needs of wild elephants.

This international workshop held on May 24 in New Delhi was attended by representatives from eight countries where elephants live in abundance. These countries are Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Congo, Botswana, Kenya and Tanzania.

The United Nations has declared the period from 2011 to 2020 as the bio-diversity decade and the conference of partners to the decade is scheduled to be held in India in October 2012.

A diplomatic level discussion in that regard was held on May 23 in India where Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa made representation.