Those animals cannot withstand the pageant’s sounds, including drums, vehicles etc. and to the light emitted by the lanterns, he notes.

The country has only four mature tuskers capable of carrying the casket of the secret tooth relic, as it should be over nine feet in height and aged between 35 and 40 years.

Of them, Millangoda Raja is no available as it is on the heat these days, according to him.

As a solution, Dela proposes that suitable tuskers be brought down from India.