{"id":49052,"date":"2016-10-18T16:34:02","date_gmt":"2016-10-18T20:34:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=49052"},"modified":"2016-10-18T16:34:02","modified_gmt":"2016-10-18T20:34:02","slug":"champika-ranawaka-says-colombo-port-city-project-will-go-ahead-despite-protests-by-affected-fisherfolk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=49052","title":{"rendered":"Champika Ranawaka says Colombo Port City Project Will Go Ahead Despite Protests by Affected Fisherfolk"},"content":{"rendered":"


\nMinister of Megapolis and Western Development Patali Champika Ranawaka, addressing media yesterday at the Department of Government Information, said the government had no special reason to halt the Colombo Port City Project and would go ahead with it.<\/strong><\/p>\n

He was referring to protest by fishermen in Negombo yesterday, alleging that dredging and sand mining from the seas around in their areas for the Colombo Port City Project was depriving them of a livelihood.
\nMinister Ranawaka said that if the fishing communities were being adversely affected by the sand mining they would be compensated.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

He said required monies had been allocated already towards that purpose.<\/p>\n

The Minister also said that any decision on the project would be made taking scientific fact into consideration, not slogans. <\/p>\n

The fishermen are continuing their protest today. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Fisher-folk from Thalawila, Kalpitiya and Negombo held a protest near the Colombo Municipal Council yesterday against what they claim as government inefficiency in protecting their waters.<\/p>\n

They handed over a letter detailing their concerns and demands to the Presidential Secretariat.<\/p>\n

The fishermen allege that illegal and destructive fishing is destroying their eco-system and depriving them of a livelihood. They refer specifically to bottom-trawling and \u2018laila\u2019 methods of fishing.<\/p>\n

Bottom trawling is an industrial form of fishing that uses nets weighed down by heavy ballasts, that, when dragged along sea beds, rake and destroy everything in its way.<\/p>\n

\u2018Laila\u2019, or seine fishing nets are drag nets, used typically with no long-term sustainability in mind.
\nKiera Perera, an Environmentalist based in Kalpitiya, told the Daily News Online that the fishermen having protested in those areas at various times to no avail, had decided to take their grievances to the highest levels.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, protests continue for a second day in Negombo, where fisher-folk have congregated outside the Negombo Town Hall and are asking that dredging and sand mining for the Port City Project be immediately stopped. They say the dredging and sand mining destroys the sea bed and deprives them of their livelihood.<\/p>\n

Megapolis Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said yesterday, the Port City Project would go ahead, despite protests.<\/p>\n

He said monies had been allocated by the government to be paid as compensation to the fishermen.<\/p>\n

Courtesy Daily News online <\/em><\/p>\n

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Minister of Megapolis and Western Development Patali Champika Ranawaka, addressing media yesterday at the Department of Government Information, said the government had no special reason to halt the Colombo Port City Project and would go ahead with it. He was referring to protest by fishermen in Negombo yesterday, alleging that dredging and sand mining from …<\/p>\n

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