News
Reckless driving in Yala wildlife park: Forest Conservation Ministry blacklists 35 vehicles
View(s):- But confusions and contradictions over what happened; Minister denies his son was involved
By Kasun Warakapitiya
This is in addition to the six vehicles which have already been surrendered to the Wildlife Conservation Department and were produced in court on Wednesday. The vehicles were detained by the court while nine suspects produced were released on Rs 50,000 personal bail for each. 
Among the suspects were S.H. Buddhika Chathuranga, G.G.S. Anjula, D.M. Mayura Lakshan, Abdul Raquib Mohamed, Mohamed Gouz, Mohamed Suwair and Hazmidin Mohhamed Safiq.
Wildlife Conservation Department Director General Chandana Sooriyabandara said yesterday they too were awaiting the list of vehicle plate numbers to take further action against those involved in the incident.
Since the department maintains records of vehicle numbers which entered national parks they were able to give the vehicle numbers to court and trace those who were involved.
The Wildlife and Forest Conservation Ministry also blacklisted the 35 vehicles on allegations of reckless driving within the Yala national park.
A senior ministry official said they received information that a group of off-road vehicle club members had driven the vehicles. He said there had been more than 80 people involved in the incident.
The official also said they considered banning the 35 vehicles from entering wildlife parks for three years.
He also said apart from that they had instructed the Wildlife Conservation Department to carry out further investigations to learn whether the guides did not intervene to stop the reckless behaviour of the vehicle drivers. If the guides were found guilty the Ministry would suspend their services, he warned.
Meanwhile the Wildlife and Forest Conservation Ministry Secretary R.M.C.M. Herath had written to the Inspector General of Police requesting Police assistance for further investigations.
However environmentalists expressed suspicion that the Wildlife Conservation Department was trying to cover up the incident. They questioned why only a few vehicle plate numbers were released.
Wildlife Conservation Department officials said they produced the full list of names and vehicles numbers which entered the park.
Environmentalist and Biodiversity Conservation and Research Circle Convener Supun Lahiru Prakash said the department should not be reactive to problems but proactive to conserve national wildlife parks by avoiding problems.
He said the wildlife authorities had decided to take action after videos of reckless off-road driving within the Yala National park went viral on social media.
He also said reckless off-road driving can damage plants, animals and ecosystems, and high speed driving damaged soil, vegetation and could even change the landscape.
He said the Wildlife Conservation Department had a shortage of guides and park rangers, and therefore it should better manage its workforce and carry out more patrols within the parks to stop the reckless behaviour of visitors.
A wildlife officer who wished to remain anonymous said revealing vehicle plate numbers would only reveal the identity of one person who entered the park.
Meanwhile, Wildlife and Forest Conservation Minister Mahinda Amaraweera denied that his son was involved in the reckless off road driving incident within the Yala National park.
He denied the posts circulating on social media at a media conference held on Wednesday.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe too had ordered the responsible authorities to conduct an “impartial investigation” on the incident.
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