FOREST OFFICERS UNHAPPY OVER MOVE

Decision to annul gazette notice on Mavillu forest

President Maithripala Sirisena has reportedly decided to annul the gazette notification on the Mavillu forest that adjoins the Wilpattu national park, and it has triggered a protest from forest officers,it is learnt.

The President signed this gazette during his visit to Russia declaring this controversial forest area threatened due to the resettlement of people as a conservation forest. It was done under the Forest Conservation Ordinance. However, President’s Secretary P.B. Abeykoon has instructed the Secretary to the Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment to rescind this gazette notification. The President’s Secretary noted that the forest area would be declared under the Fauna and Flora Ordinance as a wild life park soon and therefore the previous gazette notification had to be cancelled. However, the Forest Resource Conservationists Organization (FRECO) objected to this idea. Its General Secretary Lalith Gamage wrote to the President saying the Forest Conservation Ordinance did not contain provisions providing for the annulment of a gazette notification already issued. Also, he said the subject minister only could act for redoing the boundaries of such a forest reserve, and that should also be done by issuing a fresh gazette note to be approved by Parliament.

He stressed in his letter that forest officers were competent in conserving the reserve. He commended the President for the declaration of this forest reserve.

“Once it is declared, anyone engaged in unlawful acts within is liable to fines ranging from Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 200,000 or a jail term of seven years. The government can also claim compensation for the damage caused to the forest reserve,” he said. He said his organization could not understand as to why fresh efforts were being made to place it under the wild life authorities.