International camping against NPP and Port city in Sri Lanka
A campaign raised against massive environment destruction of Sri Lanaka .Center for environment and nature studies and peoples movement for equal rights were organized this campaign Milano, Italy in 14.05.2016.
The Government has developed a National Physical Plan to be implemented from 2011 – 2030 with the aim of developing the country following the easy paths open under globalization. It is important to analyze the plan considering its implication on environment and the socioeconomic and political situation of the country.
This plan intends to develop the country as a center of naval and air travel, trading, power and education but not as a center of environmental protection or farming.
The Government has signed an agreement with 36 countries including India and China on 4th July 2005 to build a network of highways in Sri Lanka and link it with the Asian Highway network. As per this agreement, highways will be constructed between Matara and Hambantota, Kandy and Colombo, Hambantota and Ampara. Finally it will be connected to Asian highway network via Mannar and Danuskody in India. In addition to these main highways in the country, the other main towns will also be linked through a similar highway network. The length of this road network will be around 11697 km and they will be constructed by sand and earth filling as in the case of Kottawa – Pinnaduwa highway.
In addition, an island wide railway network will also be constructed and linked to Indian railway network through Adam’s bridge at Mannar via Danuskody in India. It has also been planned to charge exorbitant rates for these travelling.
Tourist industry is to receive a priority in the development plan. There will be tourist hotels constructed along coastal belt, beaches and lagoons and at ecologically important places to promote tourism. The proposed hotels will come up in areas from Chillaw to south and north in country, in ancient cities like Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa and forest areas of Bibile and Nilgala and other locations.
The countries such as United States of America, China and India wish to develop Sri Lanka as a center of air travel. For this purpose, Katunayaka airport will be expanded and improved. Two new air ports are also to be constructed at Mattala and Higurakgoda. It has also been planned to develop the existing air ports at Palali, Trincomalee, Puttalam, Batticaloa, Kalutara, Ampara, Vauniya, Anuradhapura, Galle and Ratmalana. From 2013 onwards, new air ports will be constructed at Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Dambulla. According to this plan, there will be 19 airports in Sri Lanka by 2030.
The national physical plan proposes developing areas like Anuradhapura, several places in the North and Monaragala for production of export oriented crops such as vegetables, groundnuts, sugar cane, farm oil and timber for market. Investors will be allowed to start new industries. Municipal council zones, special towns and district capitals will be established in agriculture based areas like Mannar which have now been earmarked for development of industrial zones, investment zones, information technology centers and commercial centers and not as centers of agriculture. The areas from Gampha district to Kalutara, from Matara, Hambantota up to Tanamalwila is to be declared as Municipal zones. Similarly, the areas between Ampara and Batticaloa will be renamed as Eastern Municipal zone while Trincomalee, Polonnaruwa, Dambulla and Anuradhapura areas will come under the North Central municipal Council area. Mannar, Killinochchi and up to point Pedro will be renamed as North Municipal Council zone.