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Malekele Jak felling rejected by district committee

by Florence Wickramage

The Land Reforms Commission's tender awarded to a businessman to cut 605 Jak Trees from the Rattota Malekele Plantation has been rejected by the Matale District Coordinating Committee at its meeting held at the Divisional Secretary's Office on Monday.

The meeting chaired by Local Government, Provincial Councils Minister Alick Aluvihare decided not to issue permits to fell and transport the trees.

The LRC had accepted a tender from a businessman for Rs. 3.4 million to cut 17 acres of the Jak plantation which includes other tree species.

The total timber haul would include 605 Jak trees, 36 Suriyamara, 8 Albisia, 5 Kenda, 6 Lunumidella, 12 Sapu and 06 Hik trees.

The LRC's Assistant Director Kusum Herath had stated at the meeting that the LRC had taken a policy decision to sell valuable trees in lands allocated to the public since the LRC needed funds to conduct its administrative work. Conservator of Forests Sarath Fernando said an Environment Impact Assessment report has to be obtained for any land beyond 1 hectare which is needed for development projects. No such EIA has been done in this instance, he said.

Hemantha Vithanage, Executive Director of the Environmental Foundation Limited (EFL) said Rattota Malekele is a catchment area for several springs and rivers in the area.

It has already dried due to the cutting down of sections of the plantation earlier. The Jak Tree is a protected species under the Food Act .

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