Hon. Dinesh Hemantha,—To ask the Minister of Environment,— (1)

(a) Will he inform this House —

(i) of the number of trained assistants who have been recruited to protect the anti-elephant electric fencing in Sri Lanka;

(ii) out of them, of the number of those who have been confirmed in their service by now;

(iii) whether there is a legal impediment against confirming the service of the trained assistants who have not been confirmed in their service yet;

(iv) if not, of the reasons for not confirming them in service;

(v) whether there is a definite course of action to confirm the service of the trained assistants who have not been confirmed in their service; and

(vi) if so, of the nature of the said course of action?

(b) If not, why?