Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2020-11-02

Obtaining discarded rails of the Department of Sri Lanka Railways for the construction of electric fences and protective fences to minimize the elephant-human conflict

- At present, Elephant - human conflicts are reported in 133 Divisional Secretariat Divisions in 19 Districts in Sri Lanka. Construction of protective fences and electric fences are the key measures from among the measures taken by the Department of Wild Life Conservation to control this situation. Approximately 4,500 km of electric fences have already been erected by now in the aforementioned 133 Divisional Secretariat Divisions while approximately 1,500 km of electric fences, and elephant retention centres with protective fences have been planned to be constructed. Although, timber posts are being used to construct these fences at present those are frequently subject to fall down by elephants. Using of concrete posts too is beyond practical approach due to difficulties found in renovating them. Therefore, it has been proposed to utilize discarded rails as an alternative solution for the purpose. Accordingly, the joint proposal made by the Minister of Wildlife and Forest Conservation and the Minister of Transport to obtain the discarded rails by the Department of Sri Lanka Railways to the Department of Wild Life Conservation, on free of charge, was approved by the Cabinet.