The Court of Appeal has directed the Department of Wildlife Conservation to appear in court and explain the measures taken to reduce human-elephant conflict, including the removal and regulation of illegal electric fences, reports NewsFirst.
Providing immediate and long-term solutions to human-elephant conflict was one of the promises NPP made before the elections. But it has failed miserably, and now there is no discussion on those promises.
Now, the court ordered that the Director General of Wildlife Conservation, or a responsible representative on his behalf, must appear in person on the next hearing date to clarify the steps taken in this regard.
The order was issued by Court of Appeal President Justice Rohantha Abeysuriya, together with Justice Priyantha Fernando, while taking up for consideration a writ petition filed by the Association for the Protection of Elephants.
The petition seeks a court order directing authorities to regulate illegal electric fences erected as a measure to mitigate human–elephant conflict.
Appearing for the petitioning party, counsel told the court that the main issues raised in the petition had not been addressed through the motion filed by the Attorney General, which outlined steps allegedly taken to reduce human–elephant conflict.
The lawyer further pointed out that key concerns remain unresolved, including the absence of a legally permitted voltage standard for electric fences and broader issues surrounding the regulation of illegal electric fencing.
After considering the submissions, the President of the Court of Appeal observed that finding solutions to the human–elephant conflict is an urgent necessity that requires the immediate attention of the relevant authorities.
The court also stressed that elephants, recognised as both public property and a national asset, must be protected by those responsible, emphasising the duty of the authorities to ensure their conservation and safety.
With the inputs from NewsFirst