Minister perturbed over mishap

by Ananda KANNANGARA

The Agrarian Services and Wildlife Minister S.M. Chandrasena expressed his concerns over the substandard condition of wildlife transporting trucks, currently used by the Wildlife Department for transporting wild animals.

The Minister made these remarks following the death of Galgamuwa tusker who died last week while being transported in a Department owned vehicle from Galgamuwa forest range to another wildlife sanctuary.

Minister Chandarsena told the Sunday Observer that he had already directed Wildlife authority to hold a full scale inquiry into the death of the tusker who was 40 years old and supposed to be the tallest elephant in the country. He had two five feet long tusks.

He said if the Department authority had examined the condition of the vehicle before the tusker was loaded, the untimely death of this giant tusker would have been avoided.

The tranquillised tusker was captured by Wildlife officers on November 22 at Siyabalangamuwa forest following complaints made by residents on the unruly behaviour of the tusker.

The tusker had haunted the area by destroying the cultivation and houses of people and also injuring several people during the past few months.