The damage caused by wild elephants to crops and properties is escalating in the Kalmunai and Sainthamaruthu villages and its surrounding areas in the Ampara District, residents said.
Wild elephants are invading villages in search of food and water, and people in those areas undergo difficulties as their crops and properties are being destroyed, they added.
Residents said elephants have attacked houses, damaged trees, coconut saplings, home gardens, other crop cultivations, and have destroyed paddy lands.
Wild elephants have entered the Sainthamaruthu ‘Bolivarian’ residential area and an area coming under purview of Kalmunai Municipality and damaged the parapet wall of the an agrarian service centre, standing crops, and also uprooted trees, they added.
Villagers have brought this to the notice of the authorities; they have urged them to set up an electric fence to prevent wild elephants entering their villages.
The matter has also been brought to the notice of Wildlife Resources Development State Minister Wimalaweera Dissanayake. He has instructed the authorities to take immediate action.