After many weeks of reports in the media on alleged deforestation taking place in various parts of the country, last week’s public discourse revolved specifically around alleged deforestation taking place in and around the Sinharaja Rainforest.
Meanwhile, yesterday (23) The Morning exclusively reported that a reservoir project to be conducted inside the Sinharaja forest, which is currently under discussion, has raised alarms about a possible risk of the forest losing its United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage Site status.
The Morning took a tour around Colombo yesterday to obtain the views of the public on what they thought about these reports of environmental destruction, and whether they are concerned, or whether they believe these reports and allegations are politically motivated, exaggerated, or entirely untrue. They were also asked whether they would choose development over environmental destruction, or whether it was possible to strike a balance between the two.
The following are some of the comments we received.
Government can’t be solely blamed for increased deforestation
Tithira Bandara – 18, Advanced Level Student, Kottawa
Environmental destruction and deforestation are actual issues. Politicians say that these issues are mere political rhetoric of their opposing parties. But the problem is very real. I believe that the pandemic we are facing now is also a result of human impact on the environment.
I go to Independence Square for practices every day, and when I walk down those paths, I have never gotten a headache, no matter how tired I was. That is because of all the shady trees. We would not have natural shade to have this conversation under, if it wasn’t for these trees. It is the Government’s responsibility to make young people aware of these issues.
There has been an increase in deforestation and the blame cannot entirely be put on the present Government. This is not something that happened overnight, and was not the doing of a single politician. So, all politicians are to be blamed. Timber is a need for human life, and we need to cut trees for this. But steps must be taken to ensure that more trees are planted.
When it comes to large scale projects, such projects can be done without destroying forests. If reservoirs need to be built to provide water, such projects should not harm the surrounding environment. It is okay to clear the forest for the area in which the reservoir has to be built. Even when we apply medicine on a wound, we have to first clean it. But if the entire area is going to be destroyed for a project that only takes up a specific part of the area, that is not right.
There is no point in destroying the forest and planting a few trees anywhere else. The Government should take suggestions from the public who have varied views about these matters. These politicians are old, and they don’t understand how the new generation thinks. Young people should be consulted when decisions are made.
General lack of care towards protecting the environment
Thilanka De Silva – 18, Advanced Level Student, Torrington
There is a general lack of care towards protecting the environment and keeping it clean. I myself would sometimes litter everywhere. This is the discipline that should be instilled in us from a very young age. Children should also be educated about environmental issues. We are 18 now, and it is too late to change us.
Only one politician was highlighted when environmental destruction was talked about initially. But it was not just one person. Everyone else who was causing the same kind of destruction took cover. Instead of cutting down trees to build a reservoir conveniently, authorities should come up with better plans to find a way to save the trees and also build a reservoir if needed.
Development can be done without harming environment
A. W. Balasooriya – 68, School transport service provider, Moratuwa
I heard Bhagya Abeyratne raise the issue about Sinharaja. They are from the villages, unlike us. We live in cities, and when a child from a village describes what’s happening, we don’t understand what they say. They are talking about the hardships they are facing because of environmental destruction. My eyes filled with tears for the stories that this child had to say.
The top officials who make decisions from air-conditioned rooms do not understand the realities these children face. Hotels are being put up by people, destroying this environment. But they are built for tourists. Once the tourists come, there would be nothing for them to see because the forest has been cut down. There would be no birds or animals. This is the complete destruction of the environment. This is very saddening. We said that some politicians are better and appointed them to higher offices. But we have not got what we expected.
Environmental destruction has risen by about 200% during the last two years. We would be dead in another five years, but what about our children, and their children? Politicians only think about what they can gain. A few days ago, there were claims on television that the reports about environmental destruction were fake news, and that they were showing old footage from other countries. But this destruction is real, and we can see. The leader of the country does not go check if there is destruction, though he can go witness it by himself. Sri Lanka is no longer a country that we can live in.
We do need to sometimes cause harm to the environment for the sake of development. But if we cut down one tree, we must plant two. The country should be developed. But development can be done without harming the environment. The Minister of Environment is useless, and does not speak the truth. He does not know about the country.
Trees are cut because Govt. heavily focused on development
Samanthilake – 26, Student , Matale
There is a lot of environmental pollution going on. It is not right that trees are being cut. If the Sinharaja is destroyed, there would be a lot of adverse impact caused to the environment. The habitats of the animals will be destroyed.
This destruction is also a reason behind the human-elephant conflict that has affected the animals as well as the people living in those areas. Humans have created all these problems. Establishing electric fences to keep elephants away is also an extra expense borne by the public.
There is a lot of development taking place in the country. This is why trees are being cut. Trees were cut before as well. But the increase is due to the rise in development projects. The Government heavily focused on development.
With regards to the debate about deforestation vs. development, some countries practice methods of continuing development activities without cutting down trees. They are done at low cost as well. We could do the same thing. We need trees. But we also need development.
Politics always leads to environmental destruction
P.N. Pelawatte – 25, Student, Matale
The Sinharaja Rainforest is home to a lot of endangered species. They will die if their habitat is destroyed. No politician is talking about this. Politics always leads to the destruction of the environment. Politicians destroy the environment to build hotels and develop tourism and their businesses.
It is not just the Sinharaja forest that is facing this fate. Rumassala in Unawatuna was also destroyed to build a large hotel. They are able to carry out their projects with no pressure against the damage they are causing. I won’t take the side of any government. No matter what government comes to power, they only want to achieve their ends for as long as they have the power. They don’t think about the environment in the long run. If we don’t make environmental conservation a priority, a time will come where we will have to import the oxygen we breathe.
Environmental destruction claims are not true
H.A. Wijedasa – 63, Vendor, Matara
People talk about environmental destruction, but I have not seen such destruction. We can believe what President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is saying. This destruction is not real, it has been blown out of proportion by opposing political parties for their political gains. These claims are not true.
The Government would not destroy the environment and it would never let such things happen. The President would not allow forests to be destroyed. The President cared about the environment, and he planted lots of trees in Colombo as well. We saw that there was a court order to replant all the trees that were cut.
We like him very much, and he is a great leader who holds his ground against anything that brings harm to the country and his people. The President does his development projects in ways that are not harmful for the environment. If there is a tree when a road is being constructed, the cutting of the tree would be avoided. I read in the papers that the Crudia Zeylanica tree would not be cut and the road would be constructed avoiding it.
Tithira Bandara – 18, Advanced Level Student, Kottawa
Environmental destruction and deforestation are actual issues. Politicians say that these issues are mere political rhetoric of their opposing parties. But the problem is very real. I believe that the pandemic we are facing now is also a result of human impact on the environment.
I go to Independence Square for practices every day, and when I walk down those paths, I have never gotten a headache, no matter how tired I was. That is because of all the shady trees. We would not have natural shade to have this conversation under, if it wasn’t for these trees. It is the Government’s responsibility to make young people aware of these issues.
There has been an increase in deforestation and the blame cannot entirely be put on the present Government. This is not something that happened overnight, and was not the doing of a single politician. So, all politicians are to be blamed. Timber is a need for human life, and we need to cut trees for this. But steps must be taken to ensure that more trees are planted.
When it comes to large scale projects, such projects can be done without destroying forests. If reservoirs need to be built to provide water, such projects should not harm the surrounding environment. It is okay to clear the forest for the area in which the reservoir has to be built. Even when we apply medicine on a wound, we have to first clean it. But if the entire area is going to be destroyed for a project that only takes up a specific part of the area, that is not right.
There is no point in destroying the forest and planting a few trees anywhere else. The Government should take suggestions from the public who have varied views about these matters. These politicians are old, and they don’t understand how the new generation thinks. Young people should be consulted when decisions are made.
General lack of care towards protecting the environment
Thilanka De Silva – 18, Advanced Level Student, Torrington
There is a general lack of care towards protecting the environment and keeping it clean. I myself would sometimes litter everywhere. This is the discipline that should be instilled in us from a very young age. Children should also be educated about environmental issues. We are 18 now, and it is too late to change us.
Only one politician was highlighted when environmental destruction was talked about initially. But it was not just one person. Everyone else who was causing the same kind of destruction took cover. Instead of cutting down trees to build a reservoir conveniently, authorities should come up with better plans to find a way to save the trees and also build a reservoir if needed.
Development can be done without harming environment
A. W. Balasooriya – 68, School transport service provider, Moratuwa
I heard Bhagya Abeyratne raise the issue about Sinharaja. They are from the villages, unlike us. We live in cities, and when a child from a village describes what’s happening, we don’t understand what they say. They are talking about the hardships they are facing because of environmental destruction. My eyes filled with tears for the stories that this child had to say.
The top officials who make decisions from air-conditioned rooms do not understand the realities these children face. Hotels are being put up by people, destroying this environment. But they are built for tourists. Once the tourists come, there would be nothing for them to see because the forest has been cut down. There would be no birds or animals. This is the complete destruction of the environment. This is very saddening. We said that some politicians are better and appointed them to higher offices. But we have not got what we expected.
Environmental destruction has risen by about 200% during the last two years. We would be dead in another five years, but what about our children, and their children? Politicians only think about what they can gain. A few days ago, there were claims on television that the reports about environmental destruction were fake news, and that they were showing old footage from other countries. But this destruction is real, and we can see. The leader of the country does not go check if there is destruction, though he can go witness it by himself. Sri Lanka is no longer a country that we can live in.
We do need to sometimes cause harm to the environment for the sake of development. But if we cut down one tree, we must plant two. The country should be developed. But development can be done without harming the environment. The Minister of Environment is useless, and does not speak the truth. He does not know about the country.
Trees are cut because Govt. heavily focused on development
Samanthilake – 26, Student , Matale
There is a lot of environmental pollution going on. It is not right that trees are being cut. If the Sinharaja is destroyed, there would be a lot of adverse impact caused to the environment. The habitats of the animals will be destroyed.
This destruction is also a reason behind the human-elephant conflict that has affected the animals as well as the people living in those areas. Humans have created all these problems. Establishing electric fences to keep elephants away is also an extra expense borne by the public.
There is a lot of development taking place in the country. This is why trees are being cut. Trees were cut before as well. But the increase is due to the rise in development projects. The Government heavily focused on development.
With regards to the debate about deforestation vs. development, some countries practice methods of continuing development activities without cutting down trees. They are done at low cost as well. We could do the same thing. We need trees. But we also need development.
Politics always leads to environmental destruction
P.N. Pelawatte – 25, Student, Matale
The Sinharaja Rainforest is home to a lot of endangered species. They will die if their habitat is destroyed. No politician is talking about this. Politics always leads to the destruction of the environment. Politicians destroy the environment to build hotels and develop tourism and their businesses.
It is not just the Sinharaja forest that is facing this fate. Rumassala in Unawatuna was also destroyed to build a large hotel. They are able to carry out their projects with no pressure against the damage they are causing. I won’t take the side of any government. No matter what government comes to power, they only want to achieve their ends for as long as they have the power. They don’t think about the environment in the long run. If we don’t make environmental conservation a priority, a time will come where we will have to import the oxygen we breathe.
Environmental destruction claims are not true
H.A. Wijedasa – 63, Vendor, Matara
People talk about environmental destruction, but I have not seen such destruction. We can believe what President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is saying. This destruction is not real, it has been blown out of proportion by opposing political parties for their political gains. These claims are not true.
The Government would not destroy the environment and it would never let such things happen. The President would not allow forests to be destroyed. The President cared about the environment, and he planted lots of trees in Colombo as well. We saw that there was a court order to replant all the trees that were cut.
We like him very much, and he is a great leader who holds his ground against anything that brings harm to the country and his people. The President does his development projects in ways that are not harmful for the environment. If there is a tree when a road is being constructed, the cutting of the tree would be avoided. I read in the papers that the Crudia Zeylanica tree would not be cut and the road would be constructed avoiding it.