News

Daylight reserve forest land robbery in the guise of parceling out Devalagam property

Published

3 years ago

2022/11/27

By Ifham Nizam

Out of the estimated 50,000 acres in the Balangoda Soragune Reserve Forest 6,245 have been parceled out to influential businessmen and politicians, claiming them to be under Devalagam Lands, leading environmentalists alleged.Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) Executive Director, Dilena Pathragoda told The Sunday Island that such lands belonging to both Ratnapura and Badulla districts are beingcleared to put up a golf course, build hotels and for cultivation of lucrative cash crops like high-demand pepper, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon etc.

According to Pathragoda such lands have been parceled into 100, 200, 300 and 1,000 acre blocks.He stressed that the respective Divisional Secretariat should prove that such demarcations are from the British period. “This would reveal how authorities had been turning a blind eye, while the daylight robbery is taking place with the connivance of government bureaucracy. We urge the Survey Department to intervene into the matter,” he said.

The areas under dispute come under the purview of the Haldummulla and Balangoda divisional secretariats. Research and Advocacy Policy Director Centre for Environmental Justice Janaka Withanage said that there is an urgent necessity to have sound policies by which present resources can be used to their maximum extent rather than blindly clearing forests to open up new lands for a few individuals to exploit.

He said that through CEJ intervention a Golf Course project was halted but the 628 areas were still under the ownership of the project. Withanage added that the necessity for more agricultural land is a fallacy adding that there is no shortage of farmland in Sri Lanka.Withnage said that former Minister John Seneviratne too has acquired acres of lands there.

When contacted, Seneviratne, a lawyer asserted that he was using Devale land for pepper cultivation.He said that there is nothing wrong in using such lands for the development of the country and he also pays a rent to the Devale.Scientist U.S. Weeratunga of the Udawalawe Elephant Research Project told The Sunday Island that the relevant forest area was important for elephants. It has been proven from experience and research that the elephants in Udawalawa National Park regularly moved throughout the year through that region.

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Colombo Stock Exchange (GL 12) donates LKR 25 million to the “Rebuilding Sri Lanka” Fund

Published

3 hours ago

2026/01/24

Priyan

The Colombo Stock Exchange (GL 12) has contributed LKR 25 million to the Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund.

The cheque was handed over to the Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake by the Chairman of the Colombo Stock Exchange, Dimuthu Abeyesekera, the Chief Executive Officer Rajeeva Bandaranaike and Senior Vice Chairman Kusal Nissanka at the Presidential Secretariat.

News

Karu argues against scrapping MPs’ pension as many less fortunate members entered Parliament after ’56

Published

12 hours ago

2026/01/24

Thilina Walpola

Karu Jayasuriya

Former Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya has written to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressing concerns over the proposed abolition of MPs’ pensions.The letter was sent in his capacity as Patron of the Former Parliamentarians’ Caucus.

In his letter, Jayasuriya noted that at the time of Sri Lanka’s independence, political participation was largely limited to an educated, affluent land-owning elite. However, he said a significant social transformation took place after 1956, enabling ordinary citizens to enter politics.

He warned that under current conditions, removing parliamentary pensions would effectively confine politics to the wealthy, business interests, individuals engaged in illicit income-generating activities, and well-funded political parties. Such a move, he said, would discourage honest social workers and individuals of modest means from entering public life.

Jayasuriya also pointed out that while a small number of former MPs, including himself, use their pensions for social and charitable purposes, the majority rely on the pension as a primary source of income.

He urged the President to give due consideration to the matter and take appropriate action, particularly as the government prepares to draft a new constitution.The Bill seeking to abolish pensions for Members of Parliament was presented to Parliament on 07 January by Minister of Justice and National Integration Dr. Harshana Nanayakkara.

News

Johnston, two sons and two others further remanded over alleged misuse of vehicle

Published

12 hours ago

2026/01/24

Thilina Walpola

Former Minister Johnston Fernando and others being escorted out of the Wattala Magistrate Court premises yesterday

Five suspects, including former Minister Johnston Fernando and his two sons, who were arrested by the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID), were further remanded until 30 January by the Wattala Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

The former Minister’s , sons Johan Fernando and Jerome Kenneth Fernando, and two others, were arrested in connection with the alleged misuse of a Sathosa vehicle during Fernando’s tenure as Minister.

Investigations are currently underway into the alleged misuse of state property, including a lorry belonging to Lanka Sathosa, which reportedly caused a significant financial loss to the state.

In connection with the same incident, Indika Ratnamalala, who served as the Transport Manager of Sathosa during

Fernando’s tenure as Minister of Co-operatives and Internal Trade, was arrested on 04 January.

After being produced before the Wattala Magistrate’s Court, he was ordered to be remanded in custody until 09 January.The former Sathosa Transport Manager was remanded on charges of falsifying documents.