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Environmentalists allege Nakolagane deforestation

27 Sep 2021

  • Buddhist Affairs CG says any clearance of Buddhist Temporalities Law land would merit probe
BY Dinitha Rathnayake Environmentalists have expressed concern over the alleged destruction of forest lands belonging to the ancient Nakolagane Rajamaha Viharaya, with deforestation attempts reported in the Ehetuwewa area in the Kurunegala District, according to the Rainforest Protectors of Sri Lanka. A letter has been sent to the Commissioner General (CG) of Buddhist Affairs dated 25 September 2021 related to this matter and Buddhist Affairs Commissioner General Sunanda Kariyapperuma, speaking to The Morning, said that he had received the relevant letter sent by the Rainforest Protectors of Sri Lanka. “I have received a complaint related to the same matter three months ago and when I inquired from Chief Incumbent of the Nakolagane Rajamaha Viharaya Ven. Rahula Thera, he said that they are growing local rice in these fields. However, if there is an attempt to clear the Nindagam lands which belong under the Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance as amended, it is an illegal attempt and I would start an investigation related to such a matter.” Forest lands coming under the Nakolagane Rajamaha Viharaya are being destroyed using backhoe machines near Palukadawala, Hunugallewa, and Atharagalla and two other locations belonging to the Nakolagane Grama Niladhari Division, Rainforest Protectors of Sri Lanka claimed. The forest lands in the catchment area of the Palukadawala reservoir belonging to the Nakolagane Rajamaha Viharaya is a key elephant home range in the area and forest lands around the Thorawamayilawa Rajamaha Viharaya act as a corridor for elephants to move from Thabbowa and Galgamuwa to Inginimitiya. More than 60% of free range elephants in the North Western Province wildlife administrative regions live outside the protected areas and they use the forest patches for their survival and moving paths. This area has a valuable ecosystem and around 500 elephants are being monitored and fed in the area. It is therefore essential to protect such forests to mitigate the human-elephant conflict (HEC) and for the conservation of elephants in the area, they noted. Rainforest Protectors of Sri Lanka also claimed that 750 acres of the 2,700 acres of Nindagam (Buddhist Temporalities) lands belonging to the Nakolagane Rajamaha Viharaya, were leased out with the influence of Nakolagane Rajamaha Viharaya Chief Incumbent Ven. Rahula Thera to a few businessmen, illegally, with the help of political influence. Environmental Foundation Ltd. (EFL) also claimed that since early 2015, the EFL received various complaints from the Ehetuwewa Division relating to deforestation and/or the use of forest land. The complaints received were associated with a large-scale clearing of approximately 15-20 acres of forest land and the subsequent installing of an electric fence in the immediate vicinity of the Nakolagane Rajamaha Viharaya, in Ehetuwewa. According to the information received, the large-scale clearing and the subsequent mango plantation surrounding the temple premises were carried out by the Nakolagane Rajamaha Viharaya in collaboration with funding by private investors. The clearing and development of this area will result in blocking the seasonal movement of elephants while leading to the loss of critical resources and habitat. Inevitably, this will force the elephants to move to surrounding villages looking for food, increasing the destruction of crops and cultivation. When elephants are prevented from accessing natural forest land, they are compelled to use areas inhabited by humans leading to the escalation of the human-elephant conflict. A protest was also staged on 14 March 2021, opposing moves to lease out Nindagam lands belonging to the Galgamuwa, Ahatuwewa, and Nakolagane Temples to multinational companies. The demonstration was staged at Palukadawala. The protestors demanded that the authorities immediately halt the continuous deforestation taking place at the hands of multinational companies.


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