Stringent steps to protect forest reserves
by Dhaneshi YATAWARA
The Department of Forest Conservation has expedited the collection of
data for the land acquisition process from the adjoining areas of the
Knuckles Forest Reserve in the Kandy district, a spokesperson for the
Environment Ministry said.
A team of forest officers from the Kandy regional office is currently
conducting investigations in areas such as Ududumbara, Medadumbara and
Pannila where the Knuckles Forest range spreads. This is to inspect the
state of the lands to be acquired where the landowners have been
informed earlier and to investigate whether any lands remain adjoining
the forest that need to be declared part of the reserve due to the
sensitive environment.
"Our officers will check if there are lands which need protection in
the World Heritage Site, but had been left out due to the lack of
information provided by the public. Considering the environmental
sensitivity of such lands, they may be considered for acquisition by the
Ministry," the spokesperson for the Ministry said.
According to him, compensation for land acquisitions would be made
based on the state of the land at the time the ministry informed the
owners in writing. Any new developments on such land will not be
considered.
The Ministry took steps last week to declare 17 forests as reserves
in Mannar, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, Polonnaruwa, Trincomalee,
Anuradhapura and Colombo districts. Accordingly, forests in Mullikulam,
Periyamurippu, Vilattikulam of the Mannar District, Alaweduwan,
Pudukuduirippu, Mankulam, Thunukkai in Mullaitivu district,
Panikandamadu, Kodikodunthuvil, Maduwilnadu, Punnaweli in Kilinochchi
district, Kalegama, Borawewa, Ratmale in the Polonnaruwa district,
Panburugashinna in Trincomalee district, Wellaragama in Anuradhapura
district and Indikada in Colombo district will be declared as reserves
by the Ministry of Environment.
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