Sengamuwa Forest Faces Wilpattu-like Demise

COLOMBO (News 1st); Climate change casts a long shadow, but Sri Lanka's steps in the sunlit COP28 arena seem to diverge sharply from the reality on the island. 

While the country's delegation spoke passionately about mitigation at the Dubai summit, a closer look reveals a stark contrast between rhetoric and action.

Two months ago, the Ampara District Land Utilization Committee notified the President's Office that 1,402 hectares of government-owned forest reserves and other forest land have been identified for potential partitioning and distribution among local residents.

This action was reportedly taken based on an order issued by the President's Office.

Of the 1,402 hectares, 325 hectares belong to the Sengamuwa forest reserve. 

The Committee has identified that 275 acres of this land were illegally occupied by several individuals between 2012 and 2018.

The remaining 75 acres were illegally occupied between January 2019 and September 2023, and these encroachments have continued beyond September 2023.

These illegal activities appear to be part of a systematic deforestation effort, reminiscent of the Wilpattu Forest Reserve's destruction.

Instead of directly felling large trees, the approach involves clearing undergrowth and establishing temporary shelters, followed by burning tires at the base of larger trees, ultimately causing their demise.

Disturbingly, the Pothuvil Pradeshiya Sabha has seemingly legitimized these encroachments by establishing a settlement and even erecting a signboard.

The most recent field study documenting this destruction was conducted in March 2021 by the Pothuvil Pradeshiya Saba Secretary, civil officers, and military personnel. 

Despite the study's recommendations, the powerful political forces behind this activity have reportedly allowed the destruction to continue unabated.

This ongoing deforestation in the East of Sri Lanka echoes the devastation of the Wilpattu Forest Reserve.