News
Elephants wander into Hambantota villages disrupting lives
View(s):The human-elephant conflict has intensified in Hambantota, Suriyawewa, Lunugamvehera and other areas under the purview of the Tissamaharama Divisional Secretariat, and wild elephants invade villages in the night.
Many families in the Hambantota district have become destitute as a result. Suriyawewa Divisional Secretary Subash Nanayakkara said that elephants from the Madunagala sanctuary roam into nearby villages and children find it difficult to attend school as the elephants lurk close to the roads in the morning.
Other places affected are Madunagala, Wewegama, Weliwewa, Mattala, Andarawewa, Usgala, Gonnoruwa, Bandagiriya, Weerawila, Kirindi Oya, Uddakandara, Katuwewa and Sinha Gammanaya.
Hambantota wild life ranger A.J.R. Wijeyakumara said unscrupulous people had cleared land in elephant conservation areas and were conducting unauthorised cultivation, and this was the main reason why elephants enter the villages.