A special discussion had been held at the Parliament premises yesterday (Feb. 20) to address the pressing issue of wild elephants being hit by trains.
The meeting was chaired by Minister of Transport and Highways Bimal Ratnayake and Minister of Environment Dhammika Patabendi, with the participation of senior officials from the Ministries of Transport, Environment, and Digital, as well as representatives from the Department of Railways, the Department of Wildlife Conservation, and various environmental organizations.
The meeting follows the tragic deaths of 06 elephants after the ‘Meenagaya’ train collided with a herd near the 141st milepost between Galoya and Hingurakgoda railway stations.
During the discussion, officials emphasized the need to enhance the visibility of railway tracks in high-risk areas and to incorporate modern technologies, including digital solutions, as well as advanced lighting systems on trains to mitigate such incidents.
When the matter was taken up during the Cabinet briefing held yesterday (Feb. 20), Cabinet Spokesman and Mass Media Minister Nalinda Jayatissa had admitted that most previous attempts to prevent human-elephant conflicts and train-related elephant deaths had been unsuccessful.
“With this latest incident, we are committed to implementing a scientific and sustainable solution that ensures railway operations continue while protecting elephants,” he had stated.
