Wetland development or destruction?
Despite city beautification projects taking place around Colombo, some places, like Madiwela, are still awaiting a facelift.
The Government’s decision to develop the area and make it a bird park sparked protests from environmentalists, but residents believe the project will help protect the area which has become a garbage dump.
The proposed bird park is in accordance with plans to attract tourists with wetland parks, urban forest parks, and urban agricultural parks. Accordingly, the Urban Development Authority recently began work on this project.
Residents claim that the government is going to renovate and modernise the canal which had become a garbage d u m p . Environmentalists point out that the land is home to nearly 9,000 species, and the ' development' project poses a threat to their habitat.
Speaking to the Sunday Times, Sujeewa
Nishantha said: “There has been a considerable backlog in maintenance of these roads through years of neglect, now we have a proper road. People used to dump garbage on the roadside. We hope the government's intention is to protect this land, which is currently under threat of destruction via pollution and unauthorised filling.”
E T Kiwshan said: “Those who raise objections have political agendas.”
Anura Prasanna, Director, Property Development, Urban Development Authority, said that this is a joint venture between the private and public sectors and the UDA had chosen to solicit bids from qualified contractors to complete it.
He also said the total cost of the project is estimated at Rs127 mn, and investors would bear the cost based on the 30- year lease value determined by the chief government assessor. He said the government would not spend any money on the project, adding that the investor would have to seek permission from nine bodies: The Low Land Development Board, Central Environmental Authority, Agrarian Services Department, Wildlife Department, Zoological Department, Irrigation Department, Urban Development Authority and Road Development Authority.
Ajith Gallage, Chairman and Managing Director of Colombo Bird Park Private Limited, the private sector company involved in the project said: “Plans are afoot to transform the park into one of the world's largest natural bird sanctuaries. We had to remove hundreds of plastic bottles in the drainage and stormwater canals.” He said that the project was not harmful to the natural environment, and that he intended to plant a number of endemic plant species such as Kumbuk, Ambul Ambilla, Mee and Madan bamboo in the area.