Felling of huge trees under pretext of road widening in Norton Bridge

Ruling party politician involved in racket

• Felling under pretext of development
• People raise concerns

 By Gamini Bandara Illangatilleka - Nuwara Eliya  

Residents of the area expressed concern about the felling of huge trees on either side of the Diyagala – Norton Bridge Road and selling them to a private sawmill under the pretext of a road widening project said to be still in planning stage.   

The people pointed out that a leading local politician of the ruling party was behind the racket. They said the logs were transported by vehicles belonging to the Ambagamuwa Pradeshiya Sabha to the sawmill.  When Members of Ambagamuwa Pradeshiya Sabha- Helapriya Nandaraja and Wimal Kumaratunga made representations in this regard to the Divisional Coordinating Committee, Chairman of the Committee and Paliamentarian M. Ramesh and the Range Forest Officer said they had not received information regarding the issue. They said they would make a report to the committee at the next meeting.   

The two PS Members pointed out that trees on state land cut and removed under a project should be handed over to the State Timber Corporation through the Divisional Secretary or the Range Forest Conservator. They said even the preliminary survey of the project had not yet been carried out by the Road Development Authority.   

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Ambagamuwa Pradeshiya Sabha Jayasanka Perera said several trees were cut and removed under the road widening project after fulfilling all legal requirements.   

However, Ambagamuwa Divisional Secretary Sithara Ruwani told the media that there was no need  to cut down trees that were by the road side for the proposed project or the Divisional Secretariat had not issued any permit for it. She said that as soon as  she received information about the illegal felling  she took immediate step to suspend the felling.