Animal census marred by major administrative failures

June 17, 20251 Mins read21

The nationwide census aimed at documenting the impact of wild animals on agriculture had encountered serious administrative failures, with over 130,000 census leaflets left undistributed across 15 districts, raising concerns over the integrity and effectiveness of the March 15th survey.

This was revealed through data obtained from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation under the Right to Information Act No. 12 of 2016.

The census was intended to assess and quantify the damage caused by wild animals to agricultural crops across Sri Lanka, a growing concern for farmers and policy-makers alike.

According to the Ministry’s records, a total of 130,075 census forms meant for distribution to households in selected areas were not disseminated.

These lapses occurred across multiple layers of the administrative machinery, involving Grama Niladhari Officers, Agricultural Research and Production Assistants, Economic Development Officers, Samurdhi Development Officers, Field Officers, and Development Officers.

The Ministry notes that only 15 districts had submitted complete information related to the distribution of the census leaflets.

Meanwhile, 10 districts, including Polonnaruwa, Matara, Hambantota, Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Vavuniya, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, and Badulla, have not provided information on time. The Polonnaruwa District Secretariat has requested additional time to furnish its report, despite the initial Right to Information request being made on April 1, 2025.

The non-distribution issue is widespread among field-level officers:

Grama Niladharis failed to distribute 51,937 forms across seven districts.

Economic Development Officers withheld 11,588 forms in six districts.

Agricultural Research and Production Assistants did not distribute 9,749 forms in five districts.

Samurdhi Development Officers failed to distribute 9,650 forms.

In the Anuradhapura District, Field Officers neglected to distribute 516 leaflets.

In the Kegalle District, Development Officers failed to distribute 77 forms.

Chandana Abeyratne, Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils, and Local Government, stated that disciplinary action would be taken against those who failed to perform their duties.

The failures in leaflet distribution not only cast doubt on the accuracy of the census data but may also undermine future policy decisions aimed at mitigating human-wildlife conflict.