January 18, Colombo (LNW): 50 wild elephants fell victim to electrocution over the past year, Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) Deputy General Manager (Business & Operational Strategy) and media spokesman Eng. K.A. Noel Priyantha disclosed.
This tragic outcome resulted from the illegal connection of CEB power lines to fences protecting farmlands, he asserted.
Priyantha highlighted that a total of 474 wild elephants lost their lives due to various human activities during the same period.
The CEB has initiated legal proceedings against individuals engaging in the unauthorised use of electricity to harm elephants.
In a bid to combat this issue and protect the elephant population in the country, the CEB is seeking public support. To facilitate immediate reporting of incidents related to the illicit connection of power lines to cultivation fences, the CEB has introduced an emergency hotline with the number 1987.
