Deputy Minister of Environment Anton Jayakody said the assessment scheduled for 15 March is not a wildlife census but merely a simple survey, claiming that it is inappropriate to ridicule this effort.

He explained that the survey is being conducted solely to gather some preliminary data in an area where no prior data is available. 

The Deputy Minister made these remarks during a meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Environment held at the Parliament Complex under the Chairmanship of Environment Minister Dammika Patabendi.

During the discussions, Members of Parliament presented conce s to the Committee regarding conflicts arising due to animals that cause crop damage, including elephants, monkeys, grizzled giant squirrels and peacocks. 

It was highlighted that immediate action is necessary to control the overpopulation of monkeys, porcupines and peacocks, as failure to do so could result in a severe crisis in the agricultural sector.

Minister Patabendi pointed out that although it may be challenging to provide immediate solutions, efforts are being made to implement the necessary remedies as soon as possible.

It was stated that necessary measures are being taken to mitigate the human-elephant conflict and that elephant migratory paths have already been identified. Deputy Minister Jayakody stated that efforts are underway to identify and address obstructed migratory routes. He also said that within two weeks, necessary measures, including the installation of surveillance camera systems, will be taken to prevent elephant-train collisions.