The Government is now considering withdrawing the relevant gazette notification handing over the Muthurajawela Sanctuary and a large area adjacent to it to the Urban Development Authority and re-publishing it with amendments.
The acquisition of the Muthurajawela Wetland by the Urban Development Authority and the reclamation of its land sparked a heated debate between political and civil society. In particular, Minister of State Nimal Lansa in Parliament yesterday (08) strongly criticized the loss of several lands belonging to him in this acquisition.
The Minister said that this gazette should be canceled immediately. Nimal Lansa was one of the pioneers in bringing the Sri Lanka People’s Front to power. We do not forget how the Rajapaksha once behaved when the STF raided a house in Negombo with a large quantity of drugs.
Therefore, the heart of the government has melted once again with the statement made by the Minister of State. Accordingly, the President has instructed the relevant authorities to remove the areas inhabited by the people identified by the Extraordinary Gazette Notification issued regarding the Muthurajawela Reserve and take action to protect the reserve.
A discussion was also held today (10) under the patronage of Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa to discuss the issues regarding the gazette notification. Mahinda Amaraweera; Minister of Environment, C.B. Ratnayake; Minister of Wildlife and Forest Conservation, Nalaka Godahewa; State Minister of Urban Development Coast Conservation Waste Disposal and Sanitation also participated in the discussion.