Trees cut down on private land, not Sinharaja : Amaraweera

COLOMBO (News1st): Trees had been cut down on private land and not the Sinharaja forest, environment minister Mahinda Amaraweera has said. "The area in question is located 3.6 kilometres from the Sinharaja forest, near the Rakwana main road," the minister said on Saturday. He noted that the government would have to take a decision on the basis of policy, if large expanses of land are to be annexed to Sinharaja. "We have asked for a report on whether a gazette must be published on this. Only a certain number of trees are reported to have been cut down," Amaraweera said.