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Mullaitivu GA protests after relocated elephants run amok
Elephants have damaged houses, property and crops after being relocated from other districts to Mullaitivu District by the Wildlife Department, drawning a strong reaction from Government Agent (GA) N. Vedanayagan who has lodged a protest.
The protest was lodged on Friday after villagers surrounded the GA’s office and complained about the recent elephant attacks.
The protest came after an elephant relocated from Nawagattegama in the Puttalam District to the Mullaitivu District went on the rampage damaging 10 houses belonging to resettled persons.
The relocation of elephants has drawn strong protests from villagers as well as Wildlife officials from the Wanni region.
The relocation of the elephants had taken place around midnight last Sunday in the Muttiyankaddu area by veterinary officials of the Wildlife Department. This was after the elephant had gone on to attack several houses in the area.
Mullaitivu District Assistant GA T. Direshkumar stationed at Oddusuddan told the Sunday Times that four more elephants had been relocated to the area in August and those elephants had also damaged houses.
“Since last Sunday, at least nine houses and a shop were damaged by the newly relocated elephant. Since August, 27 houses have been damaged, mostly by relocated elephants,” he said.
He said that the use of sound crackers was ineffective as the elephants are accustomed to it.The Sunday Times learns that the Wanni Region Wildlife officials had not been consulted about the relocation. They had later protested as the area was not a wildlife sanctuary, because it did not have sufficient feeding grounds.
They had said the problems will become aggravated as the villagers are in the process of settling in their new homes.
However, Wild Life (Elephant Conservation) Deputy Director W.S.K. Pathiratna told the Sunday Times that wherever elephants are relocated, similar problems occur.
“We have not got any complaints as yet,” he added. Former TNA Parliamentarian, who is currently SLFP organiser for the Mullaitivu District visited the affected area on Friday.
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