Minister of Agriculture, Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation Mahinda Amaraweera told a meeting of farmers in Kurunegala recently that a permanent solution to the human-elephant conflict will be implemented at a cost Rs 1,200 million next year on the directive of President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
More forest reserves would be set up countrywide for the habitat of wild elephants and they will be provided fodder.
Around 395 wild elephants and 127 people have died so far this year due to the human-elephant conflict. Of them, there were 72 elephant deaths and 32 people died in the Anuradhapura wildlife zone.
According to the Wildlife Conservation Department, there were 344 wild elephant deaths and 133 people died last year.
Nearly 10,000 hectares of land would be used next year for the purpose, the Minister added.