Gravel mining in Sigiriya sanctuary – who authorised it?

The area looks like a desert

By Kanchana Kumara

Environmental organisations and  residents of the area expressed concern about the massive gravel mining project within the Sigiriya sanctuary causing extensive environmental damage.

The Organisation for the Protection of Sigiriya pointed out that questions are being asked as to who permitted gravel mining in the protected forest reserve that comes under the Department of Wild Life Conservation. They expressed concern about the lethargic attitude of the relevant authorities regarding the ongoing wanton destruction of the forest reserve.

President of the organisation Lionel Gunasekara said the gravel mining site is in close proximity to the office of the Wildlife Conservation Department responsible for the protection of the forest reserve. 

He  pointed out that huge trees in the forest reserve had been felled and a vast area has been excavated, and that the  transport of gravel had been  going on unchecked since  long, but his organisation’s continual representations in this regard  to the relevant authorities fell on  deaf ears. 

A senior official of the Wildlife Conservation Office said a group of racketeers had been carrying on excavations in the forest reserve without permission of the department as revealed by satellite data. She admitted that the racketeers had  caused extensive environmental damage to the forest reserve, but she was not aware from whom they had obtained permission to run a gravel mining site.

Meanwhile, the Officer In Charge of Sigiriya Wildlife Conservation Department Office, Range Forest Officer S.S. Malinda said he had not received information on the individuals responsible for the racket, but the department has not granted permission to run a gravel mining site in the Sigiriya Sanctuary. 

He said he would look into the issue and take legal action against the individual responsible soon.

However, President of the Organisation to Protect Sigiriya Lionel Gunasekara said he has been involved in tourism since the 1970s, and  therefore has a particular interest in the environmental protection of the area. He said the people are not allowed to dig up a toilet pit in the area under  archaeological regulations.  

He said the Department of Wildlife Conservation and the Department of Archaeology should reveal to the public on whose authority  this mass scale gravel mining is being allowed within the sanctuary. 

He said he would take up the issue at the next meeting of the District Development Committee.