News
Cost of restoration of Kallaru Forest Reserve Rs. 1.07 billion
Bathiudeen to appeal against court decision
By Ifham Nizam and Rathindra Kuruwita
The Forest Conservator General has estimated the cost of restoring a section of the Kallaru Forest Reserve, which suffered extensive damage due to the establishment of a village, at Rs. 1.07 billion. The Court Appeal has ordered that SJB MP Rishad Bathiudeen, responsible for clearing part of the forest reserve bear the total cost of the reforestation programme.
Sources close to Bathiudeen said he would file an appeal against the Appeal Court decision in the Supreme Court in the coming days.
Commenting on the estimate, Attorney-at-Law Ravindranath Dabare, who filed the petition in 2015 challenging the destruction of a section of the forest reserve said that they were ready to accept the calculation if the Forest Conservation Department felt it could replant the cleared forest area with that estimated sum.
“It’s the responsibility of the Forest Conservation Department to replant the cleared area. Last year, the Court of Appeal ruled that a “vast extent of the reserve forest has been cleared and used for the resettlement of IDPs, in breach of the provisions of the Forest Conservation Ordinance”.
The court also ordered the Conservator General, Department of Forest Conservation to take action against the illegal removal of the forest cover and illegal re-settlement of IDPs.
Dabare also said that Bathiudeen had the right to appeal but they were ready to go on fighting until those who destroyed a section of the forest were made to pay for what they had done.
The Forest Conservator General was then ordered to calculate the costs of the tree planting programme and inform Bathiudeen of the expenses within two- months after delivering the judgment. Bathiudeen has to pay the sum calculated by the Conservator General within one month after he is informed. Bathiudeen has to bear the full cost of the tree planting programme under the polluter pays principle since according to the evidence before Court he was instrumental in using the reserve forest land for the resettlement of the IDPs.
The judgment was delivered by the Court of Appeal two-judge bench comprising Justices Janak de Silva and Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne.
The petition filed by the Center for Environmental Justice (CEJ) said that around 1500 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs’) families had been illegally settled in Kallaru sanctuary area in violation of the Forest Conservation Ordinance.
Delivering the order the two Justices said that Section 7 of the Forest Conservation Ordinance (as amended by Act No. 65 of 2009) prohibited fresh clearing, clearing or breaking up any land for cultivation or any other purpose, erection of any building whether permanent or temporary or occupation of such building and constructing any road in a reserve forest.
The High Court has convicted 14 of the 24 men accused of being directly involved in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which killed 279 people.
The three-judge bench read out its decision on Tuesday after a five-year trial and said sentencing would take place later, the AFP news agency reported.
The charges included murder and conspiracy to commit terrorism.
Nine others were acquitted, while another defendant was found guilty of only some of the charges, the court said.
[Aljazeera]
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The ruling NPP yesterday (21) dismissed claims of a widening rift, within the government, over the proposed 22nd Amendment. Asked whether the NPP was concerned over a section of the Opposition alleging Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and two dozen MPs taking a view contrary to that of the party in this regard, authoritative party sources said some persons were propagating speculation for their own interest.
Declaring that there was absolutely no issue regarding the controversial Amendment, sources emphasised once it was tabled in Parliament, it would be passed with 2/3 majority.
Sources dismissed claims that out of its 159-member parliamentary group a section of NPPers was opposed to the government move. According to an influential Opposition activist, there are 57 JVPers and 66 NPPers in the government group and the rest contested the last parliamentary polls, having aligned with the JVP.
Ministerial sources told The Island that the government was confident of going ahead with the 22nd Amendment and Judicature (Amendment) Bills. Sources said that the NPP was not bothered about the Opposition protests in and outside Parliament.
Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickremaratne is expected to disclose the confidential ruling that he received from the Supreme Court in respect of more than 65 petitions for and against the 22nd Amendment and Judicial Amendment Bills. The enactment of the 22nd Amendment would pave the way for extending the retirement age of Supreme Court judges, from 65 to 67 years, and Court of Appeal judges, from 63 to 65 years.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed Court of Appeal Judge Mayadunna Sri Mevan Anthony Edirimannasuriya Corea as the Acting President of the Court of Appeal.
The appointment has been made as President’s Counsel Nalin Rohantha Abeysuriya, who currently serves as President of the Court of Appeal, will be overseas until the 24th.
Accordingly Justice Mayadunna Corea was sworn in as Acting President of the Court of Appeal before President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential secretariat last morning (21).
Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake was also present at the occasion.
High Court convicts 14 over deadly Easter bombings
Mandhana, Shafali and Ghosh lead dominant India to Asian Games gold
Fatima Sana and Umm-e-Hani secure bronze for Pakistan in Asian Games
India bat first in Asian games womens cricket final
Showers about 100mm will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North-western provinces and in Galle and Matara Districts
Govt. confident of 2/3 majority despite NPP split speculation
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
News6 days agoUS embassy won’t comment on IGP’s probe into joint drug raid
-
News4 days agoShanakiyan urges urgent action over reported death sentence for Lankan in Saudi Arabia
-
News5 days agoBid for Basil’s extradition nears final stage: Police
-
Business6 days agoAll-new Bolero MaXX unveiled in Sri Lanka
-
News3 days agoNamal Rajapaksa Buddhist gambit fails, bail denied
-
Opinion6 days agoA journalist who wrote across the divide
-
Features3 days agoWhy the spelling Sri Lankan names in English vary
-
Editorial7 days agoMore fuel price shocks shrouded in secrecy