Startling details on the latest attempt to grab land in Pidurutalagala forest reserve with a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna have come to light through a statement issued by the Rain Forest Protectors Society.
Environmental Justice Organizations (EJOs) and local communities have been engaged in a campaign to denounce land grabbing activities and the destruction of Pidurutalagala Mountain the tallest peak of Sri Lanka with a forest reserve.
Despite these environmental conservation activities, several unscrupulous businessmen have made attempts to forcibly acquire lands in the forest reserve using high political connections.
But this time. the new Environment Minister S.M .Chandrasena is planning to present a cabinet memorandum at tomorrow’s (Tuesday 28) cabinet meeting to distribute 300 acres of Piduruthalagala forest reserve land among his stooges dividing it to allotments (blocks).
These details were revealed by Convenor of the Rain Forest Protectors Society, Jayantha Wijesinghe in hard hitting statement today.
He disclosed that several acres of land in this forest reserve had been distributed among the residents for apple cultivations on experimental basis four decades ago.
But this project has failed to achieve successful results and now the Forest Conservation Department is making necessary legal arrangements to re-acquire the land.
Several Businessmen who purchased a vast stretch of this land from the previous owners for large scale vegetable cultivation are now enjoying the benefits of the furtile land.
The Forest Conservation Department has filed a case against them and the matter is now under litigation, he revealed.
These unscrupulous businessmen who have bought the land from residents with entitlement certificate given to them four decades ago are now trying to acquire the land allotments outright with the blessings of the Environment Minister, he alleged.
(LI)