CEA suspends clearing of Negombo mangrove swamps

~ But Deputy Minister says project will go ahead

Following environmental groups protests against the clearing of mangrove swamps in close proximity to the Negombo lagoon (for a Cabinet-approved housing and water plant project they claim would adversely affect the eco-balance of the lagoon), the Central Environment Authority (CEA) has directed that clearing activity on an 8-acre block of land be suspended.

Environment groups claim Cabinet approval of the water plant funded by the Spanish Government and the housing project led by Deputy Minister Sarath Gunaratne was granted without the consent of the CEA. Questions have also been raised regarding to the procedure followed by government agencies including the District Secretariat of Negombo and the NMC in clearing mangrove swamps.

Environmental groups say workers of the NMC are reported to have gone on the rampage on the advice of politicians and destroyed about 7 to 8 acres of land containing mangrove whereas they had only been expected to cut the lines for demarcating the land.

Our picture shows buldozers clearing the environmentally sensitive mangroves of Negombo

Shantha Kumara Muhandiram Divisional Secretary Negombo said he had asked the NMC to clear a small area in the mangrove land to facilitate the survey. He admitted that an excessive area had been cleared. In 2005 in the aftermath of tsunami a plan to clear the controversial mangrove land for a housing project for families affected by that disaster was abandoned after a panel of officials representing various government institutions including the CEA, the Forest Department and the Negombo Divisional Secretariat concluded that clearing the area would have harmful effects on the bio-diversity in the locality around the Negombo lagoon. The panel of 14 participants had strongly recommended obtaining an Environmental Impact Assessment report from the CEA before carrying out development activity in the area as the land is “environmentally very sensitive”.

Environmentalists said they were not opposed to the water plant project as it would only occupy 150 perches of land. Survey department officials too confirmed that an excessive amount of land had been cleared as they needed only lines cut for demarcating the land.

A Forest Department official said that the area is very important for the ecosystem in the Negombo lagoon where a type of mangrove called Manda thrives. He said that the plant has number of uses one being that it acts as a breeding ground for fish and prawns during high tide. He added that this plant also blocks wastes that wash away from the edge of the lagoon going back to it.

A section of the already destroyed mangroves.

CEA chairman Udaya Gamampilla said that the project at the location had been suspended following protests from various quarters. He said that they had called for a report from the Divisional Secretary Negombo and said an initial environmental examination of the land would be held.

However Deputy Minister Gunaratne insisted that while there were environmental concerns, the more important issues were to address the drinking water and housing problem of the people of Negombo. He said he had followed proper procedure and claimed despite the directive of the CEA he had asked authorities to go ahead with the project.

Negombo Municipal Council Mayor Nimal Lanza stated that despite the protests they would go ahead with the project because it was an integral part of the scheme to provide drinking water to the people of Negombo.