Rs. 120m fillip for four wildlife parks

by Dhaneshi YATAWARA

Plans are under way to improve the infrastructure facilities in four main national wild life parks at a cost of over Rs. 120 million, said Dr. Harishchandra Pathiraja, the Director General for Wild Life and National Parks of the Economic Development Ministry.

"The National Parks at Wilpattu, Kumana, Yala and Horton Plains will be upgraded in this project under the directives of Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa." Dr. Pathiraja said, at the same time the Zoological and Botanical gardens will be getting a facelift under the same development plan.

"We are receiving support from foreign countries in our environment conservation plans in these projects and countries like New Zealand, South Korea and Armenia have given their consent to support us, especially in Elephant conservation plans," Dr. Pathiraja said.

"As the Dehiwala Zoological Gardens and Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage needed immediate attention we have started reconstruction work and it will be completed soon," Dr. Pathiraja said.