Muthurajawela, a fertile paddy land in the past, was made a protected wetland sanctuary under the Flora and Fauna Protection Act by a gazette notification dated October 31, 1996. This was done in recognition of its vast biodiversity. The internationally acclaimed wetland, located between Colombo and Negombo, is being undermined by unauthorised and illegal human activities. These activities are taking place despite the sanctuary boasting of environmental, economical and regenerative values.
According to records at the Agrarian Development Department office, there are 635 acres of paddy fields in the Muthurajawela area. Marshlands and mangroves in the area amount to 7000 acres.
‘Society of Protecting Muthurajawela Sanctuary’, a leading and active environmental society in the areas surrounding Muthurajawela, is keeping a close watch on what is happening in Muthurajawela.
- ‘Society of Protecting Muthurajawela Sanctuary’ is keeping a close watch on what is happening in Muthurajawela
- The society’s president alleged that a top official was also involved in this illegal transaction
- The court issued an order banning garbage dumping, sand mining and land filling within the Muthurajawela Sanctuary
- The department’s administrative legal officer said that he hadn’t informed the new commissioner about the court case
The leaders in this society in the likes of its president Anil Jayamaha, secretary Senarathna Wanasingha and treasurer Dinusha Nanayakkara spoke to the Daily Mirror regarding the crisis.
We have handed over a hard copy of the Supreme Court order to Gampaha District office, as well as the Bopitiya – Nugape Agrarian office. Therefore, they cannot say they are unaware of such a case
The leaders of this society alleged that the Agrarian Development Department had received a massive amount of money from a private developer to fill close to 406 acres of fallow fields and start a housing project in the Muthurajawela sanctuary. The lands are in Thuduwa – Bopitya and Kunjawaththa of the Wattala Divisional Secretariat area. This massive sum of money was to be paid in connection with a land area spreading to 65102 perches with each perch valued at 500 rupees. The society leaders said that they had got to know of this deal and prevented the department from continuing with it.
They said the agreement was also a violation of a Supreme Court order which has temporarily banned landfilling, sand mining, dumping garbage and other illegal activities within the sanctuary. The society’s president alleged that a top official at the Gamapaha District Agrarian Development office was also involved in this transaction. According to unofficial sources, this officer has close ties with ministers and top officials. It is also alleged that this assistant commissioner has threatened the district officer for carrying out her duties.
“We have handed over a hard copy of the Supreme Court order to Gampaha District office, as well as the Bopitiya – Nugape Agrarian office. Therefore, they cannot say they are unaware of such a case,” the society officials said.
The society had filed a Fundamental Rights violation case against the illegal activities of landfill, garbage dumping and sand filling in Muthurajawela Sanctuary. In the case SC. FR. No. 176/ 2017 the court issued an order on November 1, 2017 banning garbage dumping, sand mining and land filling within the Muthurajawela Sanctuary. The case has been filed against 11 institutions: Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), Municipal Commissioner, the Urban Development Authority (UDA), the Central Environmental Management Authority (CEA), the Wattala Pradeshiya Sabha, the Commissioner General of Agrarian Development Department, Director General of the Wildlife Conservation Department (DWLC), Director General of the Irrigation Department, Assistant Divisional Secretary of Wattala, the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB) and the Attorney General of Sri Lanka.
“Even a paddy farmer has to have permission from the Department of Agrarian Development to do cultivation in Muthurajawela. It (The sanctuary) does not support farmers, but more than half of Agrarian Department owned land has been given to these crooks for landfilling.” Jayamaha alleged.
We are carrying out this fight to save this precious ecosystem regardless of the threats to our lives. We request the Government to do its duty first and then many problems would be solved
Internal miscommunication
“We recently met the Agrarian Development Commissioner with representatives from a farmers’ association and the district officer. The newly appointed Commissioner said he was not aware of the mega deal since he was appointed only on February 20. The department’s administrative legal officer, who was also present, confirmed that he had not informed the new commissioner about the court case. The commissioner responded by saying that internal miscommunication appeared to be the cause. The former Commissioner General had got involved in this deal during his final days in office. The payment was allegedly made by 
February 10,” Jayamaha said.
The society said that it had requested the new commissioner to save Muthurajawela and paddy cultivation was the only option to do this. The new Commissioner General had said that nobody could fill a land even if it was not a paddy land. He had then pledged that he would not allow any fraud. Answering a question as to why these businessmen are interested in filling and owning land in Muthurajawela, the society explained that it was done considering that they (businessmen) were seeking this land because Port City, the highway and other development projects were within close proximity to Colombo.
“They are blind to the harm they are doing to this valuable ecosystem and the destruction caused by these activities to surrounding villages,” the society warned.
The society pointed out that when the land is filled, occurring floods would affect hundreds of thousands of people residing in an around this area, belonging to 35 Grama Seva Divisions including Ja – Ela, Wattala, Kerawalapitiya and many other populated areas surrounding Muthurajawela.
There are farmers willing to cultivate and the Agriculture Department is encouraging them to cultivate fallow fields. But the circulars do not pass onto the hands of 
farmers or their organizations due to the activities of corrupt officers. They do not pass the circulars to the farmers. If a farmer starts to cultivate paddy, then this business group buys over the farmers or bribes them, the society alleged.
Threats to lives
The society leaders said, “We are carrying out this fight to save this precious ecosystem regardless of the threats to our lives. We request the Government to do its duty first and then many problems would be solved. Police, local government politicians, ministers and the Government are directly involved in this. The president, who is also the Environment minister, has not uttered a word regarding this matter so far. Unofficial sources are saying that the bond scam money has been used in buying land at Muthurajawela”.
According to the Muthurajawela Master plan, the Department of Wildlife Conservation has been tasked to declare the marsh conservation zone as a sanctuary and to manage it accordingly.
Acting Director of Department of Wildlife Conservation Manjula Amararathna when contacted said, “The Agrarian Development Department has not issued the approval letter yet. We have a meeting on today and it is then only that we will be able to make a proper comment. Anyway, filling at the sanctuary is illegal and if landfilling takes place, such activities should be carried out in keeping with our rules and regulations”.
Pix by Kithsiri De Mel
SLLRDC responds
When inquiries were made regarding this incident from Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (SLLRDC) Chairman Roshan Gunawardane, he made Deputy General Manager of Wetland Management Niamalashantha Wijayarathna speak to us.
“I have not seen this letter yet therefore I can’t comment on the content. If they are selling the land there should be conditions included in the letter. The normal procedure should be followed and an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) should be done,” he said.
Further explaining the procedure for selling land, he said, “If any property contains the names Wela, Kumbura, Deniya, Ovita at the end of it’s name, the very first letter should be acquired from the Agrarian Department if any person wants to do any development project in these lands (Muthuraja - WELA). It’s kind of an unofficial matter. No other Government institution can perform any task without obtaining permission from the Agrarian Development Department. If the department issues land, it is bound to ask for recommendation from related Government institutions. So far we have not been made aware of any matter related to this land selling”.
Answering how they could have performed such a task when there is an order from Supreme Court, he said the question should be asked from the Agrarian Development Department.
The Daily Mirror was unable to contact the Commissioner General of Agrarian Development Department and his staff said that he was out of Colombo. Members of his staff did not provide us with his contact number. The Assistant Commissioner M. N. L. Sandamali when contacted refused to provide us with information saying, “You cannot ask for info without the permission from ministry’s secretary”. She then told this scribe to contact the Commissioner General.
