Sinharaja Rainforest
by Hafsa Sabry
Alleged illegal construction of mini hydro power plants projects in the Sinharaja Forest Reserve, a national park and a biodiversity hotspot in Sri Lanka, has caused many environmental damages to the world heritage. Sinharaja is of international significance and has been designated a Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The illegal construction of the Project that crosses the Kosgulana River and along the water catchment areas of Diya Eli, Ganga Jala in the Sinharaja Forest buffer zone has caused considerable damages to the rainforest, even though the environmentalists and the Rainforest Protectors Organization raised concern over the environmental damages resulted by the project. In the meantime, the relevant authorities are being informed about the damages caused by the project, and they are accused of being silent over the law violation.
The Ministry of Power and Energy has planned to construct108 Mini Hydro Power Plants in one of the high bio-diversities of the country along Sripada, Sapthaya Kanya, Maskeliya Oya, and through Lakshapana Dam and V-Oya without any proper Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) being conducted by the relevant authorities, while causing damages to the environment, and the water sources of the country. This construction is being carried out in the Northern Sinharaja Rainforest buffer zone at Kosgulana, approximately 4km East from Kudawa main entrance.
Ampanagala, Vevathenna, Kombarava Ganga, Dambulu Oya, Banamadu Oya, Gombarau Oya, and many lakes and water streams are being affected and damaged by this project. “The construction of this project on the basis of economic development is being carried out while ignoring the protection of nature reservoirs and the water sources of the country,” claimed Ravindra Kariyawasam, the environmentalist and Director for Center for Environmental and Nature Studies (CENS).
More than 78 Private companies will be benefited from this project of 108 mini hydro power plants to which many environmental committees have expressed concern over the environmental damages caused by it. Nevertheless, the project is under construction and reported as a violation of the National Environmental Act of Sri Lanka.
He also claimed that the project carries out the blasting method in its process which has caused visible damages to the rainforest and the gravel roads of Sinharaja Rainforest. “Many environmental damages are allegedly being posed to while the groundwater level of the areas is going down,” he said. Moreover, the wild animals and birds that depend on the water catchment areas of the rainforest are also being exposed to these environmental damages. He also alleged the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) for not attending to their duties of protecting the bio-diversities and the nature reservoirs of the country. Fences were being built to block the pristine water streams from entering into the constructional areas while obstructing the speed of water flow which will result in the reduction of oxygen in the water. Due to this temperature of water changes causing discomfort for the animals and the water creatures in the rainforest.
Moreover, a dam is being built blocking the Kosgulana River in the Sinharaja buffer zone and several acres of rainforest cleared by heavy machinery and concrete along the pristine and protected river bank. Large trucks and machinery utilized for this construction had cleared through what was once a small footpath in the Sinharaja buffer zone, between Kudawa and Kosgulana.
“As a result of the rainforest continuously being exposed to deforestation and anti-environmental friendly projects within the conservative areas, the level of rain that the country receives every year has been reduced which will also result in affecting the people and the wildlife of hill countries,” said Ravindra Kariyawasam.
A research conducted by the International Energy Agency (IEA), a Paris-based organization established in 1974, reveals that the groundwater level of the area and the environment is exposed to an irreparable damage when such anti-environmental projects are carried out in the conservative areas. For Example, the Azwam mini hydropower plants project in Egypt reportedly affected the villagers and the wildlife in the area.
“The result of Randenigala and Victoria projects that claimed to produce power even to India is a good example to stop these anti-environmental projects in the country as those projects were a failure in protecting the environment,” said Ravindra Kariyawasam.
“There are many natural ways to produce power and energy rather than constructing mini hydro power plants or large scale power plants. Electricity could be produced from water, air and solar. Hence the government should try and ensure that the projects do not harm the environment and natural reservoirs while using the natural ways to produce power and electricity,” he further stated. “It is significant to note that the relevant authorities are fully aware of the irreparable damages which will be resulted by the project, but they still allow them to carry out the illegal constructions with no EIA s conducted with regard to the project,” he claimed.
Source – 15/03/2017, The Sunday Leader, See more at – http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2015/12/27/sinharaja-in-danger/
