The Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary (TCS), in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, National Protected Area Authority, Environmental Protection Agency, Councilors, Headmen and other stakeholders from Regent and Bathurst Communities, the media and well-wishers, 5th and 6th February 2025, undertook a joint patrol to the areas declared by the Ministry of Lands and Country Planning to the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs to be used as Tourism Development Areas.
The dignitaries, comprising the Executive Director of Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, the Minister of Tourism and her Deputy, the Permanent Secretary, the Director and other staff from the Ministry, the Executive Director for NPAA, Deputy Director for EPA, Councilors, Headmen from Regent and Bathurst and other stakeholders, converged at the Tacugama Car Park.
Before the patrol, representatives from each of the stakeholders made statements, emphasizing the time for action to ensure that the already degraded and encroached areas be reclaimed and restored.
In his statement, the Executive Director of TCS, Mr. Bala Amarasekeran, made a policy statement that if much is not done to reclaim and restore those degraded areas, with emphasis on the area over the Tecugama Dam within two months, he would leave Tacugama.
The Minister of Tourism and team promised to dialogue with the head of the military to ensure that more personnel are deployed in the area. Also, the Executive Director for NPAA promised to give more energetic rangers to TCS, and made a decree to his men that they should ensure that demolitions are done within the shortest possible time.
The Headmen and councilors also agreed to work with the Ministry of Tourism and its partners to ensure that those degraded areas are reclaimed and restored as soon as possible.
After the statements, a joint patrol was done to the buffer zone and the areas over the Tacugama Dam (Boys Society).
The exercise was climaxed with the installation of signposts with strong warning messages for land grabbers and illegal encroachers.
In another development, under the UNDP/WAP PROJECT, stakeholders installed two billboards with conservation education, sensitization and awareness-raising messages at the entrance of Mile 13 Comfort Bridge and Songo roundabout.
