President Anura Kumara Dissanayake advised appropriate officials to quickly implement an official mechanism to solve the human-elephant dispute, which significantly affects both the rural economy and peoples lives.The President issued these directives during a discussion on dealing with the human-elephant conflict, held this afternoon (20) at the Presidential Secretariat.During the discussion, specific attention was paid to the districts most affected by the human-elephant conflict, including Anuradhapura, Puttalam, Polonnaruwa, Ampara, Hambantota, Monaragala, Kurunegala, Badulla and Trincomalee, the Presidents Media Division (PMD) said.The respective District Secretaries presented the particular problems in their districts to the President.Discussions likewise covered existing vacancies within the Department of Wildlife, automobile requirements and the obstacles faced in carrying out their tasks, according to the PMD.The President emphasised the requirement to simplify the mechanism for fixing the human-elephant conflict and highlighted the value of executing this programme in close partnership with the public.Accordingly, the President instructed that committees comprising accountable authorities from the appropriate districts be appointed within the next month to perform these activities, the PMD said.The President likewise directed that retired officers be hired on a contract basis to fill present vacancies in the Department of Wildlife.As an instant step, he instructed officials to designate Civil Security Department officers to the Department of Wildlife with particular training and to enact pertinent legislation for this function, the statement added.Furthermore, the President advised that the ongoing joint operations by the Police, other security forces and the Department of Wildlife to solve the human-elephant conflict be made more organized and efficient.The event was attended by Professor Chandana Abeyrathne, Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government; Ananda Wijepala, Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs; T.B.
Sarath, Deputy Minister of Housing; Aruna Jayasekara, Deputy Minister of Defence; Dr.
Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the President; Ranjan Marasinghe, Director General of Wildlife; Major General Lasantha Rodrigo, Army Commander; Priyantha Weerasuriya, Acting Inspector General of Police; along with District Secretaries and other government officials.PMD