The National Physical Plan is causing massive environmental destruction in Sri Lanka 

Environmentalist Prof  Ravindra Kariyawasam, National Coordinator of Environment and Nature Studies Center says that the large-scale environmental destruction and land robbery that is currently taking place in Sri Lanka is according to the 2011-2048 National Physical Plan prepared by the government.

Environmentalist Dr. Ravindra Kariyawasam, National Coordinator of Environment and Nature Studies Center, says that the large-scale environmental destruction and land robbery that is currently taking place in Sri Lanka is according to the 2011-2048 National Physical Plan prepared by the government.

“The government is hiding this fact and is hoarding environmental destruction everywhere and hiding the master plan.” Environmentalist, Dr. Ravindra Kariyawasam said.

“Due to the National Physical Plan, about 67 acres of forests are being destroyed in Sri Lanka every day. This will lead to the privatization of Sri Lanka’s water and the robbery of Sri Lanka’s land.” Dr. Ravindra explained.

He revealed this at the press conference held by the Environment and Nature Studies Center at the N. M. Perera Institute in Boralle, Colombo 08, where environmentalist Ven. Kariyamaditte Gnanarama Thero also commented on the National Physical Plan.

“According to the National Physical Plan, a highway network is being built all over Sri Lanka. This expressway network is to be added to the Asian Expressway network. With the creation of the highway system, all forests in Sri Lanka will be covered by this highway network.”

Also, they said that through the National Physical Plan, 39 National Parks in Sri Lanka will be covered, and through that, the percentage of forests in Sri Lanka will also decrease, and because of this, even climate change is possible.

They also stated that due to the construction of these highways through the Kelani, Kalu, Bentara and Nilwala river valleys, the people living in the vicinity have had to face floods and floods and the farmers have had to abandon their fields.

According to a survey they conducted in the past, the current forest system in Sri Lanka is being destroyed 67 acres per day. Areas including Sinharajaya, where the primary forests of Sri Lanka are dense, have started to be destroyed. Construction of Sinharajaya Kudava Road, Sinharajaya Deniya Lankagama Road has started to be destroyed due to development activities of the National Physical Plan, said Dr. Ravindra Kariawasam.

According to the survey done by Global Forest Torch, Food and Agriculture Organization and Goutham Burg University, Sri Lanka is currently ranked 4th in the world in terms of primary forest destruction, said Dr.  Kariawasam.

END.