Farmers accuse government officials of destroying crops

Colombo (News 1st): A group of farmers in Tambuttegama accuse two government officials of destroying their crops. Who is at fault? The farmers of the Thulana Tikiri Wewa area in Tambuttegama commenced cultivation in the Rajanganaya forest reserve many years ago. The local farmers accuse the grama niladari and the divisional secretary of Tambuttegama, of destroying their crops. Farmers charge that their crops were destroyed after claiming that they had cultivated in a forest reserve. It must be noted that these farmers cultivated with minimum facilities near the Rajanganaya Tank amidst dry weather conditions. It is further reported that the divisional secretariat had informed the farmers several times that the reserve is prohibited for cultivation purposes. Farmers says they were not been informed. When News 1st made inquiries from the Tambuttegama Divisional secretariat in this regard she mentioned measures were taken to remove crops cultivated in prohibited areas.