Deputy Leader of the United National Party (UNP) Ruwan Wijewardene yesterday submitted a letter to the Secretary General of the United Nations requesting his assistance in ensuring that no breaches take place in the Sinharaja forest. “Considering the urgent need to protect the natural environment of Sri Lanka, while acknowledging the importance of forest cover and the contribution made to the natural resources, the Sinharaja Forest was declared as a Rainforest Reserve Area in 1978. However, plans are afoot to build two reservoirs within the Sinharaja Rainforest area, which is a protected area under both local laws and international obligations. A breach will amount to a criminal offense and a contravention of the international undertaking. We request you to use your good offices to ensure that you and your agencies will not permit such a breach,” he stated in the letter. He pointed out that the binding articles of the UNESCO Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, to which Sri Lanka is a signatory, states “each State party to this convention undertakes not to take any deliberate measure which might damage directly or indirectly cultural and natural heritage.” “Accordingly, we see that the protection of the environment is not only covered by the laws of Sri Lanka but also guided by the principles of international agreements and undertakings,” he said. Wijewardene also stated that according to Section 4 (1) (a) of the National Heritage Wilderness Areas Act “no person shall; in a National Heritage Wilderness Area, cut, mark, lop, girdle, saw, convert, collect, or remove any plant, tree or any part thereof or other forest produce” and that it is further provided that if anyone was found to be acting in contradiction to the above would face criminal proceedings.