Jan 18, Colombo: Sri Lanka will deploy personnel of the Civil Defence Force to safeguard the electric fences built to keep the elephants from entering villages, Deputy Minister of Agrarian Services and Wildlife S. M. Chandrasena said.

The Deputy Minister said that three officers will be deployed for each 1,000 meters of electric fence.

The Ministry has held a discussion in this regard with the Director General of CDF, Rear Admiral Ananda Peiris.

Sri Lanka has 2,087 kilometers of electrical fence and plans are afoot to build 490 kilometers more. The CDF has already deployed 613 personnel for the security of 1,507 kilometers.

The electric fences aim to prevent crop damage by elephants and also to save the lives of the wild elephants from the farmers' attacks.