Athwelthota Ella endangered with Mini-Hydro Power Project
The Mahasangha including the residents have protested against the proposed mini-hydro power project of a private company that would endanger the Athwelthota Ella which is one of the main waterfalls and a tourist attraction in the Kalutara District on April 4 (Saturday).They said thousands of families depended on the Athwelthota Ella as the only source of drinking water and irrigation in the hilly area. They pointed out that the previous government had granted permission arbitrarily to construct the hydro power plant without least concern about its environmental damage.
They said their representations in this regard to the authorities had been ignored. They warned that the waterfall would run dry causing hardship to the people living in the low lying areas for want of drinking water.
Convenor of the protest Ven. Morapitiye Dhammananda Thera said electricity had been supplied to the area from the Kukuleganga project and that they had not felt any need of a mini-hydro power project that would merely benefit the company owned by a relative of a prominent politician of the previous government.
The Mahasangha and the residents staged protest on the banks of the waterfall and the Buddhist monks hung robes on trees as a mark of offering them to the Buddha. They said their protest would be an eye opener to the present government authorities.
The protestors requested the present government authorities to prevent the wanton destruction of the waterfall. Forest Conservation Department Range Forest Officer Piyal Perera said Athwelthota ella was located in a forest reserve that the department had not granted permission for any construction work there. He said any construction work on the banks of the Athwelthota ella would be considered as an unauthorized construction and the individuals responsible would be liable to legal action against them.
Palindanuwara Divisional Secretary Chairman N.L.D. Tilakaratne said residents and civil society organizations made inquiries in this regard, but any approval had not been granted to construct a mini-hydro power plant in the Athwelthota ella waterfall.
“However correspondence had been going on in this regard for a long time. I will take up the issue with the Kalutara District Coordinating Committee and take a decision,” he said.