Deforestation in the name of development
For the perusal of Ministries of Education,
Environment and Public Administration and Home Affairs and Central
Environmental Authority:
by Indeewara Thilakarathne and Ranga Chandrarathne
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An uprooted Aralu tree which was replanted,a rare species of
medicinal plant.
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A grown forest over the years belonging to the Department of
Education in Batapola in the Ambalangoda Divisional Secretariat has been
under threat of complete annihilation as a large chunk of it had already
been cleared out with apparent political patronage.
The forest which has attracted attention of students and nature
lovers including Prof. Sarath Kotagama for its rich biodiversity and
birds, is famous for its endemic species of trees such as Ganmalu, Aralu,
Mahogani, Kohomba, Kiripalu and thousands of species of plants of
medicinal value.
According to teachers, parents and the community, a large portion of
Vedakanda or mountain of medicinal herbs belonging to the SP/Am
Wathurawila Dharmapala Vidyalaya, Batapola, has been cleared and striped
of its trees by a group of people under the leadership of the member of
the Ambalangoda Pradesheeya Sabha Sarath Liyanarachchi.
The only seal of authority which was apparently obtained to shun the
growing protest from the community was a log-entry made by the Zonal
Director of Education Ambalangoda Piyasena Godagama requesting school
authorities to permit the deforestation.
The purported purpose of the clearing has been cited as a
construction of a playground. According to teachers, the log-entry made
by the Zonal Director of Education states that permission for the
deforestation, removal of layer of soil, to construct a playground was
granted in agreement with peoples' representatives and the community.
This falls short of legal requirements say teachers.
"A group who cleared the forest and cut down the trees stated that
they were given a sum of Rs.100, 000.00 at the Mobil Service conducted
by the Southern Provincial Council to develop the village. This is how
they are developing the village", said a villager.
Although an area of the school premises had been allocated for a
playground, a portion of the grown forest has been striped of its trees
on the pretext of clearing a site for a playground. Illegal encroaching
of the school premises is threatening the very existence of it though
the school premises is spread around five areas.
The school provides education up to O/L and maintains an impressive
track record. Compared to schools in the area, the school records higher
results at the public examinations. A complaint bearing the number CO
371/285 was made by the Principle of the school at the Meetiyagoda
Police station on 24/09/2007 on the grounds that felling of trees is
illegal. At the time of the felling of trees the permits were not
issued.
In spite of impressive results at the examinations, the school still
lacks basic facilities such as toilets and proper shelter. The building
looks like a haunted house with cracked walls and a poorly thatched
roof.
It is a pathetic state of affairs that public properties are being
abused in order to please hooligans and to make leafy villages such as
Battapola a breeding ground for anti-social elements.
According to villagers, cricket matches for married verses unmarried
have been played with the intension of squandering productive time of
youth which could have been used for education and welfare of the
community. On the false ground of constructing a playground,
deforestation has been carried out, perhaps, eying the highly-prized
timber in the forest.
The village of Battapola has several playgrounds including the
village playground, proposed cleared site for the school playground and
even a playground in the immediate vicinity of the school (In the 75 E
Nawagama Gramasevaka Division).
As for the school, the forest and the herbal garden belongs to the
Ministry of Education. Immediate attention of the Ministry should be
drawn to this indiscriminate deforestation as Vedakanda is also a famous
site for bird watching and a potential site for eco-tourism, the Central
Environment Authority and the Ministry of Tourism.
Nature lovers, environmentalists as well as ornithologists should
also take up this issue seriously to protect Vedakanda.
Villagers say that the thugs have said that they may assault the
teachers to death if they protest.
[email protected]
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Ornithology and medicinal herbs
Importance of Vedakanda as a prime location for birds has been
recognised. Several workshops for students and teachers have been
conducted in the site by Prof. Sarath Kotagama.
According to villagers Vedakanda is a nestling site for rare species
of birds including migrant birds. According to the teachers and the
community, Prof. Sarath Kotagama considers Vedakanda as a prime bird
watching site. It is high time that the Central Environment Authority
pays attention to this, one such rare site.
On the other hand, the site can be developed as a tourist site for
bird watching given the proximity to popular tourist destinations such
as Hikkaduwa, Bentota and Ambalangoda. The forest and herbal garden can
also be developed as an eco-tourism site as well as a place where
students can study birds.
Aryurvedic physicians' society is of the view that Vedakanda is a
treasure house of medicinal plants including yet thousands of unknown
medicinal plants. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the nation to
protect such sites as these plants are an endangered species.
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Vedakanda
Known as Vedakanda in the area, the herbal garden grown and nurtured
by generations is, perhaps, one of the very few herbal gardens belonging
to the Ministry of Education. Vedakanda is rares species of plants of
medicinal value such as white sandalwood, Ganmalu, Aralu.
The history of Vedakanda dates back to hundred years and it is said
that famous Peiris Vedamahattaya (Ayurdedic physician) had been
instrumental in planting herbs in Vedakanda within the five acre land
belonging to the school. |
