The standoff between the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) and the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) over cattle grazing at the Uda Walawe National Park continues.
A JHU spokesman- Nishantha Warnasinghe said the farmers used to let their cattle graze on the grasslands long before it was it was declared a national park in 1972.
“The farmers are aware that it is illegal to let cattle into the National Park but they continue to do so because they have no other alternative. If the authorities provide them with alternative grasslands they would be more than willing to take their cattle away from the national park,” Mr. Warnasinghe said adding that the farmers main livelihood was curd production.
However DWC Director H. D. Rathnayake told the Sunday Times that since Uda Walawe was a National Park unauthorized accesses cannot be justified for any reason. He said the elephants in the park required a vast area for their habitat and this would keep them from encroaching surrounding villages.
“If a person is caught entering the National Park without authorization, authorities will take immediate legal action against them.” The Department of Wildlife Conservation is only in charge of issues related to the conservation of wildlife. There are other authorities to look into the issue of finding alternatives for the farmers, Mr. Rathnayake said. |
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