By Ranjith Rajapakse - HATTON   

Residents of the area including the Mahasangha yesterday staged a protest in front of the Kotmale Pradeshiya Sabha office against the proposed private hydro-power project in the Pundaluoya river. 

They said a retired Navy Commander was planning to implement the project and that the residents of the area recently protested against the project when the former Navy commander and a group of Central Environmental Authority (CEA) officials visited the area.   

The protestors met Kotmale Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Susantha Jayasundara and handed over a memorandum. The Chairman informed them that the former navy commander or anyone else had not obtained permission for the project from the Pradeshiya Sabha. He said any decision would be taken in consultation with the members of the council and the residents of the area.   

Chief Incumbent of Kiriwela Sri Vishaddharama Temple Ven. Kotmale Sumedhananda Thera and Pradeshiya Sabha Member H.G. Dayaratne (JVP) pointed out that the proposed private sector mini hydro-power project would result in extensive environmental damage to the highly sensitive environmental zone with bio-diversity.