CCB asks for security after officers threatened in Matara tree-cutting program

By Indika Sri Aravinda

Colombo, Nov. 14 (Daily Mirror) - The Coconut Cultivation Board (CCB) has asked the Defense Ministry to provide security for its officers who are cutting down 5,000 diseased coconut trees in the Matara District.

CCB Chairman Dr. Sunimal Jayakody said some coconut growers have threatened to kill or attack the officers and have even used dogs to scare them. Because of these threats, officers are finding it difficult to carry out their work.

He said that although legal action could be taken against those who block the officers, the board wants to handle the situation with compassion because the farmers are facing financial difficulties.

The State Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Mass Media, the Matara District Secretary, and Divisional Secretaries have been informed about the issue. The CCB has deployed 20 teams, each with seven field officers, and several police complaints have already been filed.

The program to cut down the trees began on November 11. The CCB plans to remove about 500 infected trees each day for two weeks. The trees are being removed to stop the spread of the “Weligama Wint” disease, which is caused by an invasive insect called the “Renda Makuna.”

The CCB says 6,200 trees in Matara have already been infected, and the disease has spread to Galle and Hambantota as well. Infected trees usually die within two years, creating a serious threat to coconut production in Sri Lanka.

Officials believe the insect may have entered the country from Indonesia by sea.