Environmentalists have raised concerns regarding the construction of a road bordering the Pidurutalagala forest area from Maha Kudugala to ‘Apple Farm’, claiming that it would lead to multiple environmental problems. Speaking to The Morning, Rainforest Protectors of Sri Lanka Convenor Jayantha Wijesinghe said that the road construction to Apple Farm had commenced two weeks ago and claimed that it would result in the encroachment of the Pidurutalagala forest area and the pollution of tributaries of the Kurundu Oya. “About 200 acres of land, at what is now known as Apple Farm, were given to poor farmers in the 1970s. However, the land is being cultivated now for vegetables by rich businessmen who are causing serious harm to Kurundu Oya by draining its natural water through pipelines to their farms and by releasing harmful pesticides and fertilisers to it,” said Wijesinghe. Wijesinghe further alleged that an additional 400 acres had been cleared and destroyed by the businessmen. He also said that the Department of Forest Conservation has taken orders to file cases against them and remove them from the land. “They had appealed challenging these orders, which were defeated. Finally, they had gone to the Supreme Court to challenge these orders,” claimed Wijesinghe, adding that a road construction would legitimise the illegal actions of the businessmen and affect the court decision. Commenting on the importance of the ‘Cloud Forest’ area surrounding the Apple Farm, Wijesinghe said that cloud forests are instrumental in providing rainfall and water to the surrounding areas. He added that the Department of Forest Conservation had stopped the road construction on their second attempt last Sunday. However, Wildlife and Forest Conservation Minister C.B. Rathnayake, whose electoral district is Nuwara Eliya, said that the road construction has not been stopped. “We are going to continue carpeting the road as it would help the villagers,” said Rathnayake. All attempts to contact the Department of Forest Conservation regarding the matter proved futile. Pidurutalagala is the tallest mountain peak in Sri Lanka, situated North from the Nuwara Eliya town.
