Government Try To Sell The Uva Wellassa Lands To A Singaporean Company For Sugarcane Cultivation- CENS
Kalana Krishantha
February 10, 2022
In a statement, the convener of the Centre for Environment and Nature Studies (CENS), Dr.Ravindra Kariyawasam alleged that government trying to give 572 acres of farmers inherited lands and their agricultural lands located at Bintenna, Dehigama area to a Singaporean company for mega scale sugarcane cultivation.
“IMS holdings and Singaporian company are acting as the main investors of this project while Bibila Sugar Company works as a cultivating partner for this. Bibila Sugar company earlier received the permission from Central Environment Authority (CEA) in 2013 to use these lands for the project. The permission was valid for 3 years from 2013.However, now the permission is expired and they don’t have moral right to start this project based on 2013 permission without having the proper evaluation about the current value of the lands of farmers and without giving proper compensation”, CENS elaborating in the statement.
CENS further pointing out that the government is helping to this illegal land grabbing process.
“This process is violating the National Environmental Act. This land grabbing process begins in 2011 with a national physical plan what suggests to cultivate one crop in large areas to gain more profits for companies rather than multi crops cultivation what`s good for the general public.”, the CENS statement further said.
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