Attempts to hand over landmass to squatters

Forest conservationists are reported to be up in arms against moves by the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife, Lands and Land Development to vest a landmass which lies within the Pidurutalagala forest reserve with the people after dividing it into plots.

The Ministry is said to have prepared a Cabinet memorandum to be submitted for approval soon and according to a copy of the leaked document, the ministry is seeking approval to sub-divide a 300-acre block of land within the part of the reserve called, ‘Apple Farm’.

This land was ear-marked for apple cultivation in 1970 on a decision taken by the Nuwara-Eliya District Development Coordinating Committee. However, the project was unsuccessful, and the lands were used for vegetable and potato cultivation. The Department of Forest Conservation has taken steps since 1980 to evict those unlawfully occupying this land.

The document says that 157 individuals were occupying the lands unlawfully by 2015. The Ministry says these people contribute to the economy by growing vegetable and potatoes. The Ministry says these people will be left in the lurch in case they were evicted.

The ministry is seeking approval to hand over these plots to those occupying them instruct the Conservator of Forests to re-demarcate the boundaries of the Pidurutalagala reserve leaving out this landmass.

However, forest conservationists say Pidurutalagala is an environmentally sensitive forested mountain and the distribution of plots of lands from its reserve will be detrimental. They also say the forest area is rich with indigenous varieties of fauna and flora and covered with mist throughout the day.

They urge the government to rescind this Cabinet paper.  (Kelum Bandara)