Activist group seeks court intervention to prevent human, elephant deaths (Sri Lanka) Ranjith Padmasiri, The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka) February 11, 2024 The Centre for Justice Sri Lanka (CJS) has filed a writ petition in the Court of Appeal (CA) requesting that the court issue an order directing authorities to devise a programme to prevent deaths due to the human-elephant conflict in the Ampara district. In its writ petition filed by Attorney Nagananda Kodithuwakku, the CJS notes that 255 elephants and 78 people have been killed over the past five years in the Ampara district owing to the human-elephant conflict. The Director General of the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC), the Central Environmental Authority, and the Secretary of the Addalachchenai Pradeshiya Sabha have been cited as respondents in the petition. The petition argues that one reason for the deaths is that elephants tend to frequent the Pallekadu garbage mound within the Addalachchenai PS in search of food. The petition notes that the human-elephant conflict in the region has been exacerbated by the lack of a proper garbage disposal mechanism in the district. The petitioner has requested that a proper recycling programme be established to dispose of the district’s garbage and to open two DWC offices in coastal areas to prevent human-elephant conflict. After considering the petition, Justice D.N. Samarakoon ordered the respondents to file objections within two weeks. https://www.sundaytimes.lk/240211/news/activist-group-seeks-court-intervention-to-prevent-human-elephant-deaths-548657.html