PDB manager wants written complaint to halt destruction of palmyrah trees
Text and Pix by Padma Kumari Kankanamge
Residents of Kalpitiya allege that the owner of a private land situated opposite the Kalpitiya Divisional Secretariat is killing over 50 palmyrah trees by pouring kerosene oil on them.
Residents allege that the owner is slowly but surely killing the trees on his land by pouring kerosene oil down the trees.
It is suspected that the owner is going to such lengths to kill off the trees, in order tocircumvent laws which prevent the felling of palmyrah trees.
Area residents charge that the trees being cruelly killed in this manner include valuable female palmyrah trees.
Additional District Secretary Puttalam Mr. Sunanda Herath, said there was even a special circular detailing protection afforded to female palmyrah trees due to their value.
He added, strict guidelines were in place regarding the felling of palmyrah trees. “If a person needs to cut down a palmyrah tree, he or she needs to first fill out the relevant form available at the local Divisional Secretariat and hand in the filled document to the Grama Niladhari of that particular division where the palmyrah tree is situated.
The Grama Niladhari must conduct a physical test and submit his or her report. That report has to be forwarded to the divisional office of the Palmyrah Development Board (PDB) for approval.
Once PDB approval is obtained, it has to again be forwarded again to the Divisional Secretary for final approval,” he added.
Mr Herath emphasised that even the Divisional Secretary can only approve the cutting down of a maximum of two female palmyrah trees.
If approval is needed to cut down between two to five palmyrah trees, the owner must personally apply to the District Secretary.
The District Secretary said, such stringent laws were put in place because such great value is placed on palmyrah trees.
Mr. Nananda Somathilake, the Kalpitiya Divisional Secretary said, he too, had been made aware of the destruction of the aforementioned palmyrah trees and had informed the PDB of the problem.
However, the PDB’s Puttalam District Manager, Arul Seelan claimed he was unaware of the matter, and added that a formal complaint needed to be made to the Divisional Secretary before any action could be initiated.