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Sunday, 18 September 2011

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Probe on Sinharaja road construction

The Environment Ministry has launched an investigation on the much debated road construction work at Sinharaja. Environment Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa yesterday addressing the press said that the road construction was not in the protected area but on the border of Sinharaja Forest Reserve. "But we have given directives to stop the work until investigations are complete. Based on the findings we will come to a conclusion," Minister Yapa said.

A team of officials from the Central Environment Authority and the Forest Conservation Department will carry out the investigation which is scheduled to be finalised this week, Minister said.

Denying news published last week stating that Sinharaja is threatened with division due to the road construction Minister Yapa said that this was only an upgrading of a footpath that had existed from Sooriyakanda to Pothupitiya, a distance of approximately 5 kilometres. "This footpath which was used by the villagers living nearby for many years and people have been wanting better road access. But the final solution will follow a full investigation concerning all parties affected," said Minister Yapa. "We need to listen to the people's requirements too as a responsible Government as a proper access road to the villages was a longstanding requirement of these people," he said. This footpath connected the main roads from Rakwana to Kalawana and Galle to Madampe.

Bordering the Sinharaja forest reserve lies an abandoned land belonging to the Land reform commission (LRC) which is now overgrown by forest.

"In 1995, when I was the Minister of Plantation Industries a Cabinet paper was forwarded proposing to hand over the lands under the LRC that border OF the forest reserve to the Forest Conservation Department. Accordingly the LRC recently agreed to hand over the lands to the Forest Conservation Department," said Minister Yapa.

As agreed over 2400 hectares of land will be transferred to the Forest Conservation Department.

Answering a question at the press conference Minister Yapa denied that this road is built to promote tourism in the area.

 

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