Court summons Wildlife Minister
August 4, 2014
The Court of Appeal today issued notice on two persons including the Minister of Wildlife and Conservation, Vijith Vijayamuni Soyza, over a petition filed by several environmental groups.
The petition seeks the retrieval of two baby elephants handed over to the Pannipitiya Dewramvehera and Kurunegala Athkada Viharaya by the Wildlife Conservation Department.
Therefore the Minister and another individual have been summoned to testify before the court regarding the incident.
The petition seeks the retrieval of two baby elephants handed over to the Pannipitiya Dewramvehera and Kurunegala Athkada Viharaya by the Wildlife Conservation Department.
Therefore the Minister and another individual have been summoned to testify before the court regarding the incident.
Judge keeps baby jumbo illegally!
- Monday, 04 August 2014
An audit revelation by the Auditor General’s Department exposes that a baby elephant being reared by Colombo Fort magistrate Thilina Gamage has been obtained illegally.
The Department has checked files for four baby jumbos said to be kept illegally in relation to an audit inquiry sent to the secretary to the Wildlife Resources Authority dated 22 July 2014 and with reference no. TH/L/2013/VV02.
Of the files numbered 331, 334, 358 and 359, the 334 file is for the one being reared by the magistrate. Statements have been recorded from the veterinary officer who has issued the relevant certificates, divisional secretaries, subject clerks and others.
The inquiry has established that the documents for the judge’s baby elephant are fakes, and by letter dated 26 October 2012 and no. VV5/1/1-334 the license has been cancelled.
Later, the incumbent director general has re-issued the license in 2013. All the information has been revealed in the audit inquiry report. It establishes that all four baby elephants, including the one being kept by Thilina Gamage, had been obtained illegally.
When contacted, secretary to the Ministry of Wildlife Conservation Udaya Wickremasinghe confirmed receiving the audit inquiry report in question. The ministry should respond within two weeks, and the report has been referred to the director general for that purpose, he said.
Vimukthi Weeratunga of the Biodiversity Conservation Centre said they would keep a close watch on what action the legal quarters would take with regard to this matter, adding that the director general of wildlife should be held responsible.
