99 Acres Of Peak Wilderness To Be Cleared For Constructions

Crisis

Center for Environment and Nature study states that 99 acres of wilderness lands to be taken over to build roads and pilgrimages by Urban Development Authority.  Ravindra Kariyawasam of Center for Environment and Nature made these comments at recent press briefing held in the National Library.

Speaking at  the event he said that Ministry of Defence and Urban Development has presented a cabinet paper to name 99 acres of the SriPada wilderness area as a holy site and develop it,  He further stated that naming the area as a holy site would empower the ministry to build facilities for pilgrims including buildings for lodging, to clear wilderness around the paths and to build better roads. However, no private establishments or forest clearing had taken place in the Peak Wilderness area so far as it was designated a sanctuary on October 25, 1940 (Gazette Notification No. 8,675). Kariyawasam further added that the above cabinet paper would also enable to re-initiate the cable car project which was earlier scrapped amid the intervention of environmentalists. He urged that the public should unite irrespective of their religion to salvage this area, which is a site considered sacred by all religions.