Quoting a government minister, Xinhua news agency reported that if selected to host the games in Hambanthota a massive games city will be constructed at the selected location which borders a national park.
"Some 200 elephants will be relocated from parts of Hambantota where the massive development is expected to take place and they will be shifted to Weheragala in Monaragala situated 60 kilometers from Hambantota," Minister of Agrarian Services and Wildlife S.M. Chandrasena has been quoted.
However, a Sri Lankan environmental group has said that it will strongly protest the move as shifting the elephants will affect their natural habitat.
Banduranga Kariyawasam of the Green Campaign of Sri Lanka has told Xinhua that the government has already begun constructing the new airport in the area and the runway of the airport goes between an elephant corridor.
The government Monday announced that the construction of the runway of Sri Lanka's second International Airport at Mattala in Hambantota has been completed.
Kariyawasam has said that environmental groups are preparing to go to courts against the environmental impact being created by the construction of the games city.
However an official who is part of the team involved in bidding for the games to be held in Sri Lanka has said that a full environmental assessment has been made on the games venue.
The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) evaluation commission visited Sri Lanka from June 27-30 to inspect the Southern port city as the venue for its 2018 games.
Sri Lanka will know the Federation's decision on the bid when the CGF's General Assembly meets on 11 November 2011 in St. Kitts & Nevis.
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