- Shrimp farming, hotel construction blamed
Environment Minister Dr Dammika Patabendi yesterday (8) admitted that 17 of the 65 mangrove reserves identified in the Puttalam District are currently under threat due to various activities, after Opposition Parliamentarian Hector Appuhamy raised the issue in Parliament.
He said that while 43 of the 65 mangrove forests in the District had already been declared protected reserves, 17 are facing threats from various activities. “A number of measures are being taken to protect mangrove ecosystems. The main measure is to declare these forests as protected areas,” he said.
Raising the issue, Appuhamy claimed that mangroves are being completely cleared for shrimp farming in the Galahitiyawa area of Madampe in the District. He also said that mangroves are being destroyed in the Kakkapalliya area of Puttalam for the construction of a hotel.
Responding, Dr Patabendi said that the Environment Ministry would investigate the two incidents and take appropriate action. “I will look into these two specific incidents and take action.”
Dr Patabendi further said that 121 mangrove forests had been declared protected areas by 2024, with another 20 mangrove reserves being added under the National People’s Power Government, bringing the total number of mangrove reserves to 141. These reserves cover a total of 20,664.51 hectares (ha), he said, adding that 460.51 ha of mangrove areas had been declared as reserves since the present Government came to power.
He said that the Government is also taking legal action against those responsible for destroying protected mangrove areas and implementing programmes to restore mangrove forests that have been degraded. “These programmes are being carried out with the participation of both the public and private sectors,” he said. He added that the Forest Conservation Department had already identified mangrove areas that had been degraded and that a National Strategic Action Plan for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Mangroves had also been introduced.