IntelScoops

Colombo, July 31, 2025 —

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has proposed a comprehensive 10-point national action plan to address Sri Lanka’s escalating human-elephant conflict, which he described as a “national tragedy” demanding urgent and science-based intervention.

Speaking at a press briefing in Colombo, Premadasa urged the government to halt plans to distribute firearms as a deterrent against elephant incursions into villages. Instead, he called for a coordinated, non-lethal approach rooted in ecological conservation, community engagement, and modern technology.

“This crisis is not merely an environmental issue — it is a humanitarian, agricultural, and national economic concern. Every life lost, whether human or elephant, is a failure of public policy,” Premadasa said.

Key components of his proposed action plan include:

Establishing a National Elephant Conservation Authority to coordinate all policy, enforcement, and conservation efforts across the country. Expanding and properly managing elephant corridors to prevent herds from entering farmlands and settlements. Deploying advanced tracking technologies such as GPS collars and drone monitoring to study elephant migration patterns. Introducing rapid-response wildlife management units in high-conflict zones. Compensating affected communities through a transparent, well-funded relief program for crop damage and casualties. Developing electric and bio-fencing systems in collaboration with local farmers. Enhancing public awareness campaigns on coexistence and early warning systems. Encouraging community-based eco-tourism projects as alternative income sources. Strengthening legal protections for elephants and enforcing penalties against illegal killings. Establishing a scientific advisory council to continually evaluate and update conservation policies.

The proposal comes amid rising concerns over the number of fatal encounters between elephants and rural communities, as well as the controversial move by some government officials to arm villagers with lethal weapons.

Premadasa’s plan has drawn support from environmental groups and wildlife experts, many of whom have long warned against reactionary measures that could further destabilise the country’s fragile elephant population — one of the largest in Asia.

The government has not yet formally responded to the proposal. However, with pressure mounting from both conservationists and rural communities, calls for a science-led, humane solution are likely to dominate public discourse in the coming weeks.