The Deputy External Affairs Minister, Neomal Perara, has been accused of illegally aquiring land along Puttalam lagoon in order to create salterns, reports The Sunday Leader.
The Divisional Secretary of Kalpitiya, Ranga Fernando, said,
“The mangrove was completely bulldozed last year without taking any approval from the Forest Department. We got to know that Perera’s men were bulldozing the mangrove on a Sunday morning and immediately took an injunction order by the same evening. Hence we were able to stop further destruction to the mangrove."
"Later we found out that they have started illicit mangrove destruction from Friday evening – after all government departments closed for the weekend. We still cannot determine as to what the extent of this bulldozed area is since it is a large extent. I assume it could be several acres. We have to carry out a new survey now to demarcate the boundaries,”
During Chandrika Kumaratunge presidency, Perara reportedly aquired 150 acres around the Puttalam lagoon for a saltern on a lease agreement with the support of Gamini Jayawickrema Perara - who was the then chief minister of the North Western province.
However, a forest ranger in Puttalam, S.M.K.W. Kotuwegedara alleges that on two occasions Perera has ordered the illegal destruction of mangroves and has illegally aquired land to extend his salterns.
Kotuwegedara said,
“Perera, little by little he got the saltern extended illegally. As a result we have filed two cases against his company –St. Ann’s Salt (Pvt) Ltd in the Puttalam District Court,”
“People hardly go to this area and that was why all these illegal activities are taking place unnoticed. When we were told about bulldozing the mangrove we immediately took action to stop it if not the devastation would have been very much more”
A fisherman, speaking anonymously to The sunday Leader, said,
“This wetland was earlier a natural fish breeding site. However little by little Minister Perera’s people cleared the area illegally to which we are strictly against but not in a position to talk openly in fear of our lives. We have been deprived of entering the lagoon to catch fish. Recently when media personnel visited the area to obtain photographs, Perera’s people chased them away in motor bicycles,”
However, dismissing all allegations made against him, Perera said,
“When I got these 150 acres in 1994, there were scattered mangroves within my stipulated area. I do not think that there is any wrong to remove this mangrove to make the saltern.”
