(UTV|COLOMBO) – After May 2013 no land at the Wilpattu Forest Reserve was released for any task, the Forest Conservation Department (FCD) said, rejecting allegations and reports that stated otherwise, the Ceylon Today reported.
They said that people began building houses in 2015 on lands that were released that year and the people who have been settled in these lands have engaged in clearing those lands but no forest lands were cleared.
However, they pointed out that the Minister of Industry and Commerce, Resettlement of Protracted Displaced Persons, Co-operative Development, and Vocational Training and Skills Development, Rishad Bathiudeen has submitted a letter requesting 75 acres of land from the Wilpattu Forest Reserve to set up an Industrial Zone.
Mahinda Seneviratne, Head of Environment Management at the FCD said that up to now not even one acre of land has been released for that purpose. He made this comment in response to an inquiry made by Ceylon Today regarding allegations made against the Minister by various factions, including environmentalists, in connection with clearing the forest anew at the Wilpattu Forest Reserve.
“It was in 2016 that the Ministry of Commerce and Industries requested 75 acres to set up an Industrial Zone. But President Maithripala Sirisena rejected that request. Then in 2017, it was referred to a National Committee appointed under the leadership of the President’s Secretary to reconsider. Subsequently this National Committee had recommended that only 25 acres be released for the proposed Industrial Zone. Nevertheless prior to granting this land, an environment assessment has to be done, this Committee emphasised,” Seneviratne said.
Accordingly, about two-weeks ago the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) had nominated FCD as the project approval agency to carry out an environmental assessment regarding the 25 acre land, he said.
Consequently, he further said that Terms of Reference were sent by him to the Ministry to conduct the environmental assessment. He also said that once the environmental assessment report is provided by the Ministry, the FCD will submit recommendations together with conditions for releasing 25 acres of the land.
He said that nevertheless, releasing of the land will be carried by the CEA.
The Minister who rejected the allegations being made against him continuously in connection with destroying lands at Wilpattu, said in Parliament last Friday (22) that a Parliamentary Select Committee should be appointed to inquire into these allegations.
Meanwhile, according to an aerial observation, conducted by the Ministry of Defence on 22 March, it is reported that apart from the lands belonging to the Musali Pradeshiya Sabha, located north of Wilpattu in 2015, no new lands have been cleared in the Wilpattu Forest Reserve.
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