INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Seven individuals who drove SUVs inside the Yala National Park in a reckless manner and two others who video-recorded the incident have
surrendered to the park officers today
In addition, 07 SUVs that were among the fleet of vehicles were also taken into custody.Accordingly, the 09 individuals and the 07 SUVs in
directives to relevant officials to conduct an impartial investigation into the incident.The incident came to light after a video showing a
fleet of vehicles entering the national park and misbehaving was widely circulated on social media several days ago.Subsequently, Minister
of Wildlife and Forest Resources Mahinda Amaraweera instructed the Director-General of the Department of Wildlife Conservation Chandana
Sooriyabandara to take immediate legal action regarding those involved in the incident.In the meantime, the Secretary to the Ministry of
Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation has decided to appoint a three-member committee for onward investigations into the park officers
who failed to take action to control the situation.These park officers in question are accused of neglecting their duties and failing to
inform higher officials of the incident.Ministerial secretary, Chandra Herath said the committee would be appointed after discussing the
matter with Minister Amaraweera
The panel will be led by an additional secretary of the ministry.It is reported that Herath intends to seek the assistance of Sri Lanka
Police to apprehend the individuals who misbehaved inside the Yala National Park, harming the wild animals there.Meanwhile, the caretaker of
the Yala National Park has taken necessary measures to initiate judicial proceedings against the people involved in the incident for
violating the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance.On Tuesday (Oct
25), the Director-General of Department of Wildlife Conservation Chandana Sooriyabandara suspended several park officers and safari tour
guides over the said incident
He has also decided to take disciplinary action against any other officers who were involved in the incident.Further, the SUVs and those who
rode them in a reckless manner inside the Yala National Park were blacklisted by the DG of Wildlife
These individuals were accordingly barred from entering any wildlife national park in Sri Lanka for three years.
This article first appeared/also appeared in https://adaderana.lk
