Probe on Sinharaja road construction
by Dhaneshi YATAWARA
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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