Wild elephants invading villages in the Hambantota district cannot be stopped as the racketeers fell trees unabated in the proposed Wild Elephant Management Reserve, Hambantota Game Range Officer J. A. P. Wijeyakumara said.
He said the delay of the gazette notification in this regard also obstruct the steps being taken to stop the invasion.
Many villages under the purview of Hambantota, Ambalantota, Suriyawewa, Tissamaharamaya and Lunugamvehera DS Divisions are invaded by wild elephants.
About 400 wild elephants roam in the zone and with the development works, they have lost their habitats. The Wildlife Department is unable to take legal actions against the human activities taken place in the reserve as the it was not gazetted.
Wijeyakumara said the reserve area is shrinking as it is cleared day by day using heavy equipment.
A strip about 10 metres of jungle in Hambantota-Gonnoruwa road was left uncleared so as not to be seen by the people travelling in this road the destruction.
Hambantota District Secretary W.H. Karunaratne said some people have permits for the lands. He said he had given necessary instructions to the Hambantota Divisional Secretary to look into the issue .
Karunaratne said the ministry is taking steps to allocate lands for the reserve and gazette it.