Deputy Minister in buffalo storm
Text and Pix by Shelton Hettiarachchi in Nuwara Eliya
The Deputy Minister of Wild Life Palitha Thewarapperuma has been heavily criticised for his apparetly boorish behaviour by both farmers and religious leaders for freeing a number of head of wild buffaloe which were ravaginging cultivated land and destroying crops, in addition to posing a danger to human life.
The herd was captured with much difficulty on May 14, following a decision taken at the Nuwara Eliya Divisional Agricultural Committee. The committee planned to hand the herd to the owner of a cattle farm in Ambalantota.
Nine head of wild buffaloe which had been captured and tamed had kept tied at a location in Ambewela in preparation to be transported to Ambalantota when the Deputy Minister allegedly stormed the spot and opposed the plan to the move the herd.
Mr Thewarapperuma allegedly brushed aside attempts of government officials who explained the reason for the capture of the herd.
He went on to abuse officials and police personnel who were present insisting that the animals had been captured in order to sell them for meat.
He then forcibly freed the animals and left.
Angry farmers held a protest in Ambewela on Wednesday ( 16), expressing their disgust with the Deputy Minister.
At a media briefing convened by religious leaders in the area on Friday ( 18) participants further condemned the Deputy Minister’s actions.
Addressing the media briefing, Ven. Dambagolle Somananda Thera, President of the Nuwara Eliya Divisional Sasanaarakshaka Bala Mandalaya, said they strongly condemned the conduct of the Deputy Minister, who thwarted an attempt to solve a problem posed by wild buffaloes for years.
He further condemned Mr Thewarapperuma’s verbal abuse of government officials who had worked tirelessly to settle the problem.
Maulavi M.S.M. Saleem of the Kandapola Jumma Mosque pointed out that farmers, school children and office workers in the area for the past 15 years lived in fear of attacks by the herd.
After the media briefing, religious leaders proceeded to the Nuwara Eliya D i s t r i c t Secretariat and handed over a petition calling on authorities to take action against the Deputy Minister.
Maulavi M.S.M. Saleem of the Kandapola Jumma Mosque pointed out that farmers, school children and office workers in the area for the past 15 years lived in fear of attacks by the herd.