Environmental Damage Continues

[unitegallery Rilagala1]

Environmental problems in Sri Lanka have been discussed over the years with relevant authorities, ministries and even with the President. However, it has to be highlighted that nothing positive for environmental protection seems to take place as destruction of nature under the development projects are continuing.
Center for Environment and Nature Studies (CENS), the Young Lawyers Association Sri Lanka, the Young Journalists Association and the Committee on Save the Rilagalayaya Committee held a media briefing on the environmental damages taking place in the Rilagalayaya mountain range in Mahayaya reservation, which, according to the environmentalists, is one of the valuable assets of Sri Lanka reservations.
In 1940, around 399 hectares of Mahayaya forest, according to the Gazette notification No. FR 8637, was declared a forest reservation. It is located in the Eldeniya Grama Niladhari Division under Beliatta Divisional Secretariat in Hambantota district. The natural mountain range of Rilagalayaya in the Mahayaya reservation is now being destroyed regardless of nature and environment for road construction under the National Physical Plan (NPP). Stones required for the construction of the southern highway express road are obtained from this mountain.
The development project from 2011 to 2030 has been signed among 36 countries including China and India. Several reservations and mountain peaks were destroyed for the purpose and steps have been already taken to destroy the Rilagalayaya Mountain completely. The government claims that the country needs development for future generations but their future is being destroyed under the name of development, and the government should understand that, allege the environmentalists.
The environmentalists also claim that there are several authorities to protect the reservations of the country but they seem to have given up duties and responsibilities while allowing the project constructions in the protected areas. Ecological provisions of reservations in the country such as wetlands, rivers, lagoons, forests, mountains and marine environment are being destroyed and no authorities, except for the people and the environmental protection groups, seem to be concerned of the natural destruction. “They have placed all necessary measures for a complete destruction,” alleged Save the Rilagalayaya Committee.
Based on the National Physical Plan (NPP) of Sri Lanka the project that connects the highway network to India regardless of nature and its protection, the mountain range has been destroyed while the creatures living in the forest area were also threatened. This is being destroyed to obtain stones for the Matara-Hambantota highway. It is most unfortunate that the government seems taking no action regarding the environmental issue even though the president promised he will consider and take prompt action against the ongoing issue.
The mountain peak, nearly 784 feet high and identified as the second tallest place in Hambantota while Kongaslanda, Kotigala and Murungagala that belong to the Rilagala mountain range are also being destructed for constructional purposes by the Maga Company. This is a place where the ecological provisions are so special and a very valuable asset to the country, the environmentalists point out.
Kariyawasam said that another important feature of this mountain range is that it stores water in it. There are only a few mountain peaks and ranges in Sri Lankan that stores water in them and this is one of them which is now under the threat of extinction. This mountain is one of the resources to create lagoons and lakes in the area.
In addition, the Rilagalayaya is a very ecological and environmental area and that was why the government declared the place as a reservation and no one including the government could harm it. If there is any project construction and building to be carried out in the area and there is no way other than using the reservation, the government is allowed to use the land or the forest. But before using the land for any purposes, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) should be conducted by the authorities in charge of protecting the environment and the reservations of the country, Kariyawasam added.
He further explained that the EIA has information of how the project will be done in an environmental friendly manner with regard to the safety of flora and fauna. If there will be any damages and threats to the creatures or the ecological system of the reservation, the government will have to consider other options safeguarding the reservation.
“But what happens in our country, where the President has the responsibility to safeguard the environment, is that he promises to consider the environmental damages done to the nature but the action against it is yet to be taken”, Kariyawasam said addressing the media. Environmentalists alleged that the relevant officials of the authorities show one face to public and another to the government.
They hand over Environmental Pollution Licence instead of Environmental Protection Licence (EPL) to the companies and the countries that have signed agreements of development with Sri Lanka. It is not an exaggeration to say that our country is being used by China and India for their purposes and it should be immediately stopped before we lose the unique nature and the precious environment of our country, lamented the environmentalists and the conservationists.
“We have so far explained the long lasting environmental damages and threats to the Ministers and the President but the construction companies win at the end allowing the construction and destructions to be continued regardless of nature and each and every Sri Lankans living behind it,” Kariyawasam claimed.
Save the Rilagalayaya Committee questioned the President and the officials in charge whether the government wants lives from the area to stop this destruction of valuable mountain ranges or will they consider stopping the project as soon as possible after its attempt to stop it. “The government will have to handle another Rathupaswala incident in Rilagalayaya otherwise,” said the Committee. In addition, this particular area was declared on 25-12-2014 as one of the risky landslide areas in the country due to soil erosion and stone breaking. The environmentalists questioned whether the government needs any more reasons to stop the destruction taking place in the mountain range. Furthermore, three families were evacuated from the area due to landslides occurred on 20-09-2015 in Eldeniya Mountain Range which is also located in close proximity to Rilagalayaya. This Maga Company continues the destruction since April 2016 knowing the results of mountain breaking while the government turns a blind eye to the blatant violation.
“We are fed up with having discussions with the government and now we ask the people who are interested in forming together against the destruction of environment. We should together protect our environment and the basic rights of ours to enjoy the nature formed naturally in our country,” Kariyawasam said.
In the meantime, Save the Rilagalayaya Committee chairman alleged that the company has support from the government agents to divisional secretariats to continue the illegal activity in the area. “The government always took the side of the project constructors than the environment or the people living in it. This will create huge problems in future unless stopped soon,” he added.
However Kariyawasam stated that a report consisting a number of environmental destructions occurring in Sri Lanka it to be presented to the Europa Parliament in the expectation that some solid action would be taken to stop these projects harming the nature of our country. Also Kariyawasam claimed that he had decided to present a report in Geneva Human Rights Council as well, not to bring the President and the Prime Minister to the Geneva council but to protect the precious nature in any possible way.