Wanathawilluwa forest clearance: Whodunit?

• Published date: 11 September 2020
• Publication title: Daily Mirror

Days after the Anawilundawa Ramsar Wetland, situated in Puttalam District, made headlines over an illegal clearance, nearly 100 acres of forest area was reportedly destroyed in Kuratiyamohotte area in Eluwankulama, Wanathawilluwa, also in the Puttalam District. With the absence of a responsible party who claims to have done the destruction it makes Sri Lanka's rich biodiversity more vulnerable to damage. In fact Sri Lanka's dry zone occupies three-quarters of the island. Therefore environmentalists claim that protecting dry zone forests is particularly important. But with ad hoc mechanisms to clear forest lands such as the revoking of the 5/2001 circular, Sri Lanka will have to bear the risk in losing many of her endemic Flora and fauna.

As such the Daily Mirror takes a look at the Wanathawilluwa incident, who is responsible and who needs to take action and why dry zone forests need to be protected.

Who's responsible ?

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Ajith Gihan of Wayamba Voice - an environmental organization in the area said that they were informed about this incident on September 5. 'When we reached there around 4.00am a vast area of land was destroyed. Trees were felled and burned and another part is yet to be destroyed in a similar manner. The entire land area is around 6000 acres and they have a railway track to collect limestone from a quarry near the Aruwakkalu landfill site. This track also is in close proximity to the area that has been destroyed. However it is wrong that they have burned the trees and they should ideally be protecting the land they own.' said Gihan.

'It is also surprising that development officers and other officials in Mangalapura and Herathkuliya have also turned a blind eye on this incident,' he added. 'This further raises doubts whether officials were also aware of this incident beforehand.' he said.

According to Gihan mass encroachment practices take place in the Puttalam District where most lands coming under the purview of Land Reform Commission are bought and sold out to third parties.

However the Daily Mirror learned that the Puttalam District as a whole is vulnerable to many environmental disasters. Wilpattu was being cleared from one end, an aloe Vera project began at the other end, the Anawilundawa Ramsar Wetland was illegally bulldozed followed by the recent incident. Apart from that mass encroachment practices are also taking place in this area and it is rumored that this attempt could possibly be one of that.

Another area...