By Sri Lankan Court Takes Up Case on Construction in Sinharaja Forest Reserve
The Court of Appeal in Sri Lanka has issued notices to relevant authorities regarding a petition challenging the construction of reservoirs, roads, and the clearing of land within the Sinharaja Forest Reserve in 2020.
Key Points:
- The Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) and its Executive Director filed the petition against the Minister of Environment, Central Environmental Authority, and several others.
- The petition raises concerns about the negative impact of these projects on the biodiversity of the fragile ecosystem and potential violations of existing laws.
- Projects in question include:
- Construction of reservoirs at Madugate and Kotapola.
- Construction of tunnels and roads within and near the Sinharaja Forest Reserve.
- Initial objections by the respondents challenging the petition’s maintainability were rejected by the court.
- The case will now proceed to a hearing
