Verdict on Wilpattu Case set for 03rd April

Colombo (News 1st) - The verdict in the Wilpattu Deforestation case filed against Ex-Minister Rishad Bathiudeen will be delivered on the 03rd of April by the Court of Appeal. The case was filed by the Centre for Environmental Justice against the deforestation of thousands of acres of forest land in Kallaru, which is located close to the Wilpattu Forest Reservation with the objective of resettling people. The matter was taken up in the presence of Justices Janak De Silva and Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne of the Court of Appeal. Former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen, the Central Environment Authority, the Department of Forest Conservation and several other parties were named as respondents in the case. The Centre for Environmental Justice in the petition noted, serious damage was caused to the environment by clearing 2388 acres of forest land which belong to the Kal-aru Forest located close to the Wilpattu Forest Reservation. The petition requested for an injunction order be issued preventing the further clearing of forest within the designated zone for the purpose of constructing houses. The verdict on the matter was to be delivered in August of last year following the completion of the legal matter. However, Justice Mahinda Samayawardhena who examined the petition recused himself from delivering the judgment. Thereby, the President of the Court of Appeal decided to examine the petition once again from the beginning.