Kithulgala residents protest against deforestation

COLOMBO (News1st): Residents of Kithulgala staged protest against environmental destruction at Dothaluwa Kanda in the Yakdissa reserve on Sunday. "If our water resources are not protected, we wish to remind the officials that we are ready to resort to a hunger strike," one local said. The Dothaluwa Kanda belonging to the Yakdissa reserve also marks the beginning point for the Dhadugan Oya that flows into the Kelani River. Our correspondent reported that 14 acres of land had been cleared to construct 300 cabins in the area. Locals point out that a swimming pool is being constructed on the land by diverting water from the Dhadugan Oya. News1st learnt about irregularities that had taken place concerning the land, upon inquiries made from the Land Reform Commission. The commission said that the 517-hectare plot of land on which the project is taking place, had been given to the forest conservation department. However, the gazette declaring the transfer of the land from the Land Reform Commission to the Forest Conservation Department has not been published. It was revealed that a portion of the land had been omitted while demarcating the borders of the land handed over to the forest conservation department.