We have got funds of nearly Rs. 5,900 million to prevent the human-elephant conflict, Sustainable Development, Wildlife and Regional Development Minister Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka said recently.
There is a shortage of manpower to maintain electric fences to keep away elephants. Moreover, the Wildlife staff detailed for this task lack basic facilities including lodging and sanitation facilities. “We are gradually making changes for the better,” the Minister told the Daily News.
The Minister said that Wildlife guards have not been in uniform for years and steps are being taken to provide them with uniforms and boots. Also, instead of the present 12 bore gun they are to be armed with SAR40 firearms. Although protective fences have been constructed round the reservations, around 70 percent of the wild elephants live outside them, which raises the possibility of human-elephant conflicts, he said.
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