News
Concerns raised over illegal inroads being made into Knuckles on the pretext of Ditwah disaster
View(s):- Proposed new road to reach landslide hit Meemure now shelved after objections;
existing road from Hunasgiriya being cleared to reach the area
By Tharushi Weerasinghe
A controversial proposal to cut a new access road through the Knuckles Conservation Forest to reach landslide-hit Meemure has been withdrawn, official sources confirmed this week, following objections over safety, environmental damage, and growing international scrutiny.
The Provincial Road Development Authority (PRDA) had earlier sought permission to clear an 18-kilometre route through the protected forest after landslides cut off access to Meemure. However, the request was formally withdrawn after authorities opted instead to restore an existing road from Hunasgiriya.
“We are clearing the old road from Hunasgiriya, and 11 kilometres of the 18-kilometre stretch have already been cleared. Once this is completed, the road through the Knuckles forest will no longer be necessary,” PRDA General Manager K. Puwakgolla told the Sunday Times on Friday.
The PRDA, together with the Kandy District Secretary, had on Tuesday (9) requested approval to cut through the Knuckles Conservation Forest, citing the need to reach communities stranded after recent landslides. Mr. Puwakgolla said the decision was reversed after the Army assessed the proposed forest route and found it unsafe.
Landslides had cut off access to Meemure
“The Army noted the presence of a massive rock and multiple landslides along the proposed route inside the forest as well. Since the route itself was unsafe, we decided not to proceed. The original road will be fully cleared shortly,” he said.
The Forest Conservation Department (FCD) had strongly opposed the proposal, refusing permission because the damage to one of Sri Lanka’s most pristine ecosystems would be irreversible. The Knuckles range is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a key biodiversity hotspot.
Environmental groups and conservationists raised further concerns about the proposal’s intent. Several sources, who requested anonymity, alleged that the road request was a pretext to facilitate the expansion of tourism ventures within the conservation forest. They noted that a similar request to clear the same route had been made around three months before Cyclone Ditwah, purportedly to provide access to Thangappuwa, located beyond Corbett’s Gap from Meemure.
The Sunday Times spoke to Nuwan C. Hewakumara of the Meda Dumbara Pradeshiya Sabha, who said the community’s transport difficulties at the time prompted calls for improved access.
However, conservationists described the proposed road as environmentally destructive and unnecessary. Ecological scientist Dr. Samantha Suranjan said the route would only lead to a halfway point rather than provide full access to Meemure.
“There is a traditional route from Hunasgiriya, and what is actually needed is the clearing of a 40-year-old road,” he said. “The Thangappuwa area consists largely of tea and cardamom lands, many of which fall under Land Reform Commission holdings. The area has also seen a tourism boom over the last decade, some of it illegal.”
Dr. Suranjan alleged that safari jeep operators and tourism ventures were lobbying for the forest route to be opened, and warned that disaster conditions were being used to justify permanent environmental damage. “Meemure is a largely self-sustained community. Roads cannot be opened on demand,” he said.
The conservationists also pointed to wider implications, noting that Sri Lanka’s environmental governance is scrutinised under the EU’s GSP+ trade concessions, while the Knuckles range is supported by a USD 39 million Green Climate Fund grant. “The consequences of weakening protections are not localised,” Dr. Suranjan said.
The controversy has also drawn international attention. The Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) has formally requested UNESCO’s urgent intervention, alleging that an eight-kilometre forest trail between Thangappuwa and Corbett’s Gap was being cleared in violation of Sri Lanka’s Forest Conservation Ordinance, which strictly prohibits road construction within the Knuckles range.
In a letter signed by CEJ Executive Director Dilena Pathragoda, the organisation raised concerns over alleged involvement of public officials and political figures, warning that the project posed serious risks to governance, accountability, and long-term conservation. CEJ has called for the immediate cessation of construction and requested a UNESCO “reactive monitoring mission” to assess threats to the Central Highlands’ Outstanding Universal Value.
Separately, the Sri Lanka National Commission for UNESCO has also expressed concern over proposals to reopen old gravel roads through the reserve. In a letter to authorities, its Secretary General, Prof. Prabhath Jayasinghe, cautioned that any road development through the Knuckles could jeopardise the Central Highlands’ World Heritage status. He noted that UNESCO’s Regional Office in New Delhi had already sought clarifications on the matter.
“If these concerns are not addressed, Sri Lanka risks the site being placed on UNESCO’s danger list or even losing its World Heritage status,” Prof. Jayasinghe warned, urging authorities to explore alternative emergency access routes in consultation with conservation agencies and UNESCO representatives.
With the disputed proposal now withdrawn and the Hunasgiriya route nearing completion, environmental groups say the episode underscores the need for transparency, accountability, and adherence to conservation laws—particularly during disaster response in ecologically sensitive areas.
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