Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2021-02-22

Proclamation of proposed Hambantota Elephant Management Reserve

- Ongoing rapid development projects in the Hambantota district have caused a severe impact on the Wildlife habitats including that of wild elephants and their foraging ways and it has resulted in increasing human-elephant conflict. As a remedy for the issue, the Department of Wildlife Conservation has taken initiatives to proclaim an Elephant Management Reserve for wild elephants and other creatures, having ensured the expansion of their foraging ways through researches. Accordingly, a land in extent of 23,746.55 hectares belonging to the Department of Forest Conservation and Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka has been identified for the proposed reserve. The Gazette Notification incorporating guidelines and regulations required for the purpose has been drafted with the concurrence of the Department of Forest Conservation and Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka. Therefore, the joint proposal made by the Minister of Irrigation and the Minister of Wildlife and Forest Conservation to publish the said Gazette Notification in the Government Gazette after obtaining the concurrence of the Legal Draftsman for the same, was approved by the Cabinet.