{"id":35945,"date":"2014-12-08T23:35:38","date_gmt":"2014-12-09T04:35:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=35945"},"modified":"2014-12-08T23:35:38","modified_gmt":"2014-12-09T04:35:38","slug":"over-6000-acres-in-aandankulam-forest-reserve-and-kokkilai-sanctuary-in-mullaitheevu-district-cleared-to-be-given-to-companies-and-political-affiliates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=35945","title":{"rendered":"Over 6000 Acres in Aandankulam Forest reserve and Kokkilai Sanctuary in Mullaitheevu District cleared to be given to Companies and Political Affiliates."},"content":{"rendered":"


\nBy <\/p>\n

Rathindra Kuruwita<\/strong><\/p>\n

The clearing up of forest land and distributing it among powerful businessmen and political henchmen has been increasing since the end of the war in 2009 as large swathes of land which were unusable in the past became available for farming and development. While development is essential, especially in the war affected areas, unplanned activities, ignoring all environmental laws would bring about negative developments which outweigh the benefits greatly.<\/p>\n

We have seen that such development activities \u2013 clearing forest lands and allocating the land to mass agro and tourism projects \u2013 increase incidence of human-elephant conflict, destroy the livelihoods of farmers and devastate catchment areas essential for the future sustainability of water sources.<\/p>\n

Mullaitivu forests destroyed<\/strong><\/p>\n

It has been revealed that over 6,000 acres of Andankulam Forest Reserve and Kokilai Sanctuary have been cleared and distributed among henchmen of powerful politicians under the pretext of creating the Mahaweli L Zone.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Over 1,000 acres of forest land in Pansal Kanda, Mullaitivu have been cleared and divided into plots of 25 acres each. In addition, the Mahaweli Authority has handed over a large amount of forest land south of Kokilai lagoon to companies and political affiliates of a powerful minister from the Badulla District.<\/p>\n

“The Mahaweli Authority is using heavy machinery to clear out 5,000 acres from Helamba Wewa to Kokilai Lagoon. The cleared area has then being divided into 25-acre commercial plots and one acre plots for individuals. A number of large trees have also been felled and thousands of small trees and plants have been burnt,” Sajeewa Chamikara of the Environmental Conservation Trust claimed.<\/p>\n

The land that is being cleared out is an important catchment area that feeds the few water sources in the Mullaitivu District including Edandawala Tank and its adjoining marshes. The protection of the area was also vital for the sustainability of Janakapura, Weli-ara and Mora-oya that brings water to the Kokilai lagoon.<\/p>\n

According to the Mullaitivu District Secretariat’s website there are no major perennial rivers that could be tapped to provide irrigation cultivation and most of the farmers of the District depend on rain water, three major tanks and 17 medium tanks. The clearing of the 6,000 acres will have an adverse effect on all these water resources and cause great economic hardship to the majority of the residents of the District as 80% of the income in the District is generated by farming.<\/p>\n

“In addition the land that is being cleared out is home to large mammals including elephants, bears and wild buffaloes. Actually this is one of the few forest areas where wild buffaloes still live,” Chamikara said.<\/p>\n

Creating new issues<\/strong><\/p>\n

The destruction of the forest land is also most likely to create a conflict between humans and elephants, which Mullaitivu District has been lucky not to have experienced due to the forest cover and the fact that elephant corridors remain unblocked. Approximately 167,850 hectares which is 64.1% of the total land area consists of forests. However like in other parts of the country, unplanned destruction of forests without a feasibility study or an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) will lead elephants and other wild animals to maraud villagers.<\/p>\n

“The Mahaweli Authority has been doing this kind of thing for years. In many parts of the country they clear large swathes of land and give them to big businessmen and political henchmen. Most of their ‘development activities’ are carried out violating environmental laws and the destruction of forests in Mullaitivu at the whims of the Minister will have an adverse impact on the residents of the area and the ecosystem,” the ECT Director said.<\/p>\n

The destruction of the 6,000 acres, by creating a human-elephant conflict and adversely affecting the water sources of the District and thus the local economy, might give rise to social disharmony.<\/p>\n

The legal background<\/strong><\/p>\n

“According to Gazette Notification, No. 772\/22 of 24 June 1993 issued under the National Environmental Act No. 47 of 1980, prior approval is necessary after an EIA before using a forest land over 1 hectare for any development activity.<\/p>\n

In addition, Gazette Notification, No. 1152\/14 of 4 October 2000 issued under the Antiquities Ordinance No.9 of 1940 states that an archaeological impact assessment must be made to determine the impact on archaeological sites prior to the development of land over 2 hectares. There are over 10 archaeological sites in the area cleared by the Mahaweli Authority and the damage already done to the archaeological sites in the area might be unimaginable.<\/p>\n

“This was an area where our archaeologists were unable to properly explore due to the war and we don’t know what archaeological treasures lie in the area. But the Mahaweli Authority does not seem to care about our archaeological heritage, wildlife or the people,” he said.<\/p>\n

In recent times the Mahaweli Authority has gone beyond its mandate, defined by Mahaweli Authority Act No. 23 of 1979 (amended), and has distributed a large part of its lands to multinationals, powerful local businessmen and henchmen of politicians.<\/p>\n

“We are destroying the little remaining forest we have at an express pace and politicians are even preventing the declaration of reserves so that they can carry out their illegal businesses. We urge the government to carry out its development activities in a transparent manner, respecting the laws of the country,” he said.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Irrigation and Water resources managemant, W.B. Ekanayaka said that the Mahaweli Authority is carrying out several development activities in the Mahaweli L Zone under the Welioya Integrated Development Project and that this is being carried out according to plans which are transparent.<\/p>\n

Courtesy:Ceylon Today<\/em><\/p>\n

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By Rathindra Kuruwita The clearing up of forest land and distributing it among powerful businessmen and political henchmen has been increasing since the end of the war in 2009 as large swathes of land which were unusable in the past became available for farming and development. While development is essential, especially in the war affected …<\/p>\n

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