• Environment Min. formulating to maximise land utilisation, environmental-public protection, scientifically identify suitable agri land, zoning habitation safe regions, designate resource-rich industry areas, classify environmental systems requiring forest reservation, specify environmental zones conditions 
• Land Min. instructs regional offices of the LRDC/LRC/Mahaweli Authority to identify plots of land for resettlement 

The Environment Ministry is formulating a comprehensive ‘Land Use Plan’, a first for the country, designed to maximise land utilisation while ensuring environmental and public protection.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, the Deputy Environment Minister, Anton Jayakody said that the country has never had a Land Use Plan so far and that the Ministry has to build it from scratch. The initiative has been discussed within the Government’s broader environmental policy. 

According to him, the plan will scientifically identify areas suitable for agriculture based on required climate factors and the environmental impact. It will also zone regions safe for human habitation, designate resource-rich areas for industry, and separately classify environmental systems requiring forest reservation.

He emphasised the critical need for a scientific approach to land use but noted that it is currently impossible to provide a timeline for the program’s completion. While the existing National Physical Plan also considers environmental factors for sustainable land management, the primary focus of the new Land Use Plan will be environmental protection.

The Ministry cited recent events like Cyclone Ditwah as underlining the necessity for an environment-centric land use strategy. In its development, the plan will account for the specific environmental conditions of different zones, the consequences of human activities, and the particular ecosystems that must be conserved.

Meanwhile, the Land Ministry stated the relevant institutions have already been instructed to identify plots of land that could be used to resettle people who lost their land and houses due to Ditwah, and to submit the necessary information to the Ministry.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, the Deputy Minister, Aravinda Senarath said that Government-owned lands under institutions such as the Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (LRDC), the Land Reforms Commission (LRC), and the Mahaweli Authority are being considered for this purpose.

“Instructions have been issued to the regional offices of these institutions in every District to identify available land and submit their reports. Information has already been received from some Districts. We are aware that resettling people will not be easy in certain areas due to various challenges, which is why the initial focus is on identifying suitable land. This process is expected to be completed within the next few weeks,” he added.

Ditwah caused extensive damage across several parts of the country, destroying houses, inundating farmland, and displacing thousands of families. Many people lost their homes and land on which they lived due to severe flooding and landslides. In response, the Government has proposed a series of measures, including compensation for damaged and destroyed houses, the resettlement of families who lost both land and housing by allocating State-owned land, and the construction of new housing schemes.