News
President halts construction of road skirting Sinharaja
By Ifham Nizam
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has ordered the suspension of the construction of a road between Neluwa Lankagama and Pitadeniya , skirting the Sinharaja rainforest. Environmentalists who were up in arms welcomed the presidential action.
Convener of the Rainforest Protectors of Sri Lanka, Jayantha Wijesingha congratulated the President for his prompt decision.
The Centre for Environment and Nature Studies (CENS) on Sunday sought President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s intervention to prevent the construction of a concrete road through the Sinharaja forest.
CENS Convener Dr. Ravindra Kariyawasam said that construction of access road to Sinharaja had destroyed the biodiversity of the vicinity.
He told The Island that the government should stop the project completely.
Some 1.5km stretch of the 32km road had been completed by Sunday. According to Kariyawasam, although the width of the road was to be eight feet, in some places it was as wide as 20 feet.
Road Development Authority (RDA) Chairman Chaminda Athuluwage has said that if there is any issue regarding the project, that can be discussed.
The construction work to expand the road bordering the Sinharaja Forest commenced during the first week of August.
The Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) has written to Secretary, Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Conservation M.K.B. Harischandra and Secretary, Ministry of Environment Dr. Anil Jasinghe about the serious threat due to the illegal expansion of the road between Neluwa to Deniyaya via Lankagama by the Army personnel on the instructions of the RDA. Lankagama is a village located within the Sinharaja rain forest, which has now exceeded its boundaries beyond limits, CEJ Executive Director Hemantha Withanage said.
“We have learned that the road expansion is already causing many disturbances to the forest including illicit felling, removing soil and dumping it on slopes.”
According to Withanage the road widening would destroy many trees and important habitats including 38 large trees.
The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CEYPETCO) has announced a reduction in the prices of Petrol 92 and Petrol 95, effective from midnight today (30).
The price of Petrol 92 has been reduced by Rs. 15 per litre, from Rs. 414 to Rs. 399 while the price of Petrol 95 Octane has been reduced by Rs. 20 per litre, from Rs. 495 to Rs. 475
There will be no change in the prices of diesel, Super Diesel and kerosene under the latest revision.
The book “Rathuwewi Mihimadala”, written based on the life story of Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Leader of the Democratic Left Front, was launched on Friday [August 28] at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo, with the participation of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.
Speaking to the media afterwards about Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated:
“Vasudeva Nanayakkara is a prominent figure in Sri Lankan politics, particularly within the left-wing political movement. There were several influential figures within the left movement, and that left-wing influence also contributed to bringing the country to where it is today. Politically, there were areas where we agreed and areas where we did not. However, I have great respect for the contribution made by Vasudeva Nanayakkara to left-wing politics. When I entered Parliament in 2020, Vasudeva Nanayakkara was also in Parliament. We sat in the same row, and we spoke about many important as well as interesting moments in his political career. I believe some of these experiences have also been included in this book.”
The event was attended by members of the Maha Sangha, Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara, former President Maithripala Sirisena, former Speakers Karu Jayasuriya and Chamal Rajapaksa, as well as party members, family members and friends.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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