Forest Department Makes Roads Inside The Sinharaja – Says Sajeewa Chamikara
Kalana Krishantha
September 17, 2022
Environmentalists allege that Forest Department of Sri Lanka making Sinharaja rainforest and its biodiversity more vulnerable from creating wide roads into the forest as a part of World Bank project, ESCAMP, Ecosystem Conservation and Management Project. In a recent media statement, environmentalist Sajeewa Chamikara accusing the forest department over the issue.
He pointed out that few years ago, forest department launched first phase of this road project from constructing the 10 feet wide and 2 kilo meter long road which extends from Kudawa Sinharaja entrance to the inside of the world heritage rain forest. Chamikara added that the first phase of the project was unsuccessful and currently constructed 2 Km long road is not usable and slipping due to growth of ferns on the concrete stones. “Habitats of many living species were destroyed by the first phase of this project”, said Chamikara.
He further alleging to the forest department that despite the unsuccessful nature of first phase, forest department trying to start the second phase of the project.
“Forest department trying to launch second phase of the road project from, constructing road between second Kudawa entrance and research center, which is located inside the Sinharaja forest.It`s a 8 feet wide road .”, said Chamikara.
According to the environmentalist, all the facilities related with local and international tourists should be limited to the borders of Sinharaja and those facilities like roads and etc. should not penetrate the borders and should not go inside to the forest.
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