Village guards to tackle elephant threats in Sri Lanka

COLOMBO (News 1st); In a decisive move to address the escalating human-elephant conflict across rural Sri Lanka, the government has approved the recruitment of village guards to assist in managing and mitigating wildlife-related threats.

Deputy Minister of Environment Anton Jayakody revealed that the decision was reached during a discussion with the President, who has instructed the Director General of the Civil Security Department to initiate necessary steps for deployment.

The Department of Wildlife Conservation has also been directed to provide data on the required number of village guards for affected regions. 

In addition to their current salaries, the newly recruited personnel will receive a special allowance for their service in high-risk zones.

Minister Jayakody emphasized the urgency of the initiative, noting that the human-elephant conflict has severely disrupted daily life in many villages. In some areas, children are unable to attend school and adults are struggling to reach their workplaces due to the threat posed by roaming elephants.

This intervention aims to restore safety and normalcy to communities living on the frontlines of wildlife conflict.