PARLIAMENT

Hon. Athula Welandagoda,—To ask the Minister of Environment,— (1)

(a) Will he accept that —

(i) illegal constructions and cultivations are found in the elephant management reserve that is located adjacent to the boundaries of the Divisional Secretariat Divisions of Hambantota, Tissamaharama, Lunugamvehera, Sooriyaweva and Ambalantota; and

(ii) it is a grave constraint to the life of wild elephants?

(b) Will he inform this House —

(i) of those illegal constructions and cultivations;

(ii) of the short-term and long-term measures that will be taken regarding the illegal constructions and cultivations referred to above, separately;

(iii) whether he is aware that the loss of lives and damage to cultivation in the farming lands outside the elephant management reserve concerned due to elephants rampaging into the farming lands have reached a peak; and

(iv) if so, of the number of people and wild elephants that have been killed so far in such encounters, separately?

(c) If not why?