Matara District government officials have discussed plans to establish a park for the crocodiles as a measure to prevent the deaths due to the croc attacks in the surrounding areas of Nilwala River. At a discussion held at the Matara District Secretariat on Monday with the participation of Minister Dullas Alahapperuma , the district officials have decided to set up the first ever crocodile park in Kirala Kele in Matara. The Minister has pointed out that the initiative could be also used for the promotion of tourism industry besides protecting the people from the attacks. The measure to set up a separate area for the reptiles has been prompted by the recent death of an 18-year-old school girl in Malimbada in Akuressa area of Matara District. The victim was dragged away by a man-eating crocodile last week when she was washing her face at the bank of the Nilwala River. It has been reported that over 20 people have been killed by crocodiles within the last 10 years. The people living near marshes and river banks amid risks of crocodile attacks complain that they cannot kill the man-eating crocodiles even for the sake of their lives due to stringent wildlife laws of the country. The environmentalists highlight the need for the government and Wild Life Department to step into resolve the human-crocodile conflict as people are invading the territory of this endangered aquatic reptiles.