Local communities are
claiming that plans to build the section of the Southern Expressway from Matara
to Beliatta, across the Aparekka, Thambagalla Reserve, will cause serious
environmental harm.
The
expressway is being extended from Matara to Beliatta via the village of Kaluhenwala
Residents claim that
building the expressway across the Aparekka -Thambagalla Reserve, will have a
serious detrimental impact on the delicate balance of the eco-system.The
Thambagalla Reserve is home to scenic waterfalls, streams. many endangered and
endemic species of flora and fauna and the Thambagalla Aranya Senasanaya, a
forest ashram.
Residents
fear that excavation that has been undertaken on private lands to supply earth
for the construction of the expressway, will cause increased landslide activity
in the area.Chief Convener of the Rainforest Protectors, Jayantha Wijeysinghe
pointed out that this is a protected reserve with a very valuable bio-diversity
and hundreds of endemic species of flora and fauna which are very important to
the balance of Sri Lanka’s eco-system can be found here.
He added
that surveying up-to this area have been completed and the fact that many large
trees in the area will be cut down to make way for the expressway means that
serious environmental harm could be caused by this.
Sources - Newsfirst
