Mahindata baninna epa ban. monawa unath yudde dinnaneh!
2011.08.21
State lands, including the region around the Somawathie Chaitiya Sanctuary have been issued to an
American fruit company for banana cultivation, in various parts of the country, according to environmentalists.
The company, Dole, has acquired
62,500 hectares in the following areas - Buttala, Uva Kudaoya, Galle, Puttalam, Dambulla and Somawathie, but has not obtained the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA), according to them.
The lands belong to several State bodies including the Mahaweli Authority, Forest and Wildlife Departments, and the Viharadevalagam (temple). “About 3,000 hectares in Uva Kudaoya, given to the company, is very valuable because of its rich biodiversity and water resources,” said Centre for Environmental Studies National Coordinator Ravindra Kariyawasam.
About 500 hectares of land along the Menik Ganga reservation, 15,000 hectares in the Kantale region and 11,600 hectares in the Somawathie area have been given to the company, he added. He said the farmers in Uva Kudaoya were involved in chena and paddy cultivation before the company established the banana cultivation, but now the farmers are working for Dole.
We have not given areas of the Wildlife Department to them, while receiving reports of incidents in the Somawathie area. So, we are investigating the issue, said DWC Director General H.D. Ratnayake.
Mahaweli Authority Director General D.M.C. Dissanayake said, Somawathie land comes under us. But, we didn`t give it to them. He said he didn`t know how the company acquired the land.
Environmentalists also allege that the Army is involved in the distribution of land to the company in the Somawathie region. Representatives of the Company were not available for comment.
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http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110821/News/nws_050.html