Sri Lanka (The Island) - A favourable Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report on an Industrial Zone to be set up near the much debated Wilpattu National Park was unlikely, a senior official said.
A team of experts led by former Colombo University don Prof. Devaka Weerakoon had indicated that clearance could not be given for the required infrastructure facilities to set up an industrial zone in the area, senior environmentalist and Executive Director of the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) Hemantha Withanage said.
He said that according to Prof. Weerakoon, if endorsed, the zone would lead to the opening of Eluvankulam-Silavathurai road.
The area was abandoned in 2010 following a court case filled by the environmental groups.
The Central Environmental Authority (CEA) and Forest Department are in the process conducting further studies in this regard.
Last month, Minister Rishad Bathiudeen said in Parliament that an EIAwas being done ona 25-acre industrial zone to be set up in Kondachchi in the Musali Divisional Secretariat area.
The minister made this observation in response to queries by Chief Opposition Whip and UPFA MP Mahinda Amaraweera and UPFA MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage as to whether the media reports on building a 75-acre industrial zone near Wilpattu were true or not.
The Minister replied that 25 acres from Kondachchi village had been requested for the project and no forest land was being cleared for the purpose. He said the request had been made two and a half years back.
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