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Hadabima Authority warns against improper use of slope lands

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

If the recent heavy rains affected the central hills, it would have damaged a large number of lands in slope areas causing a massive disaster to the people who live such areas, Deputy Director (development) of the Hadabima Authority of Sri Lanka M.G.Abeyratne told the Daily News.

He said if the landslope has a gradient of more than 60 per cent, it is not suitable for living. However, thousands of people are living in slope areas exceeding to limit without seriously considering this imminent danger.

Sometimes, lands not suitable for human habitation have been distributed among people in these areas. In addition, certain people in the central hills have encroached state lands for living and other cultivation purposes, he said.

As a result of cultivation of these slope areas, soil erosion has become a serious threat in the hills. Immediate measures have to be taken to educate the public on soil conservation methods, he said.

Abeyratne said at present there is no policy to utilise lands. People can cultivate anywhere they like. " Therefore there is an urgent need of a national policy on the utilisation of lands which will also prevent the people from living in or cultivating unsuitable lands in the hills."

He said the Hadabima Authority is mainly engaged in conserving catchment areas, crop cultivation and economic development activities in central hills for creating farmer awareness.

At present the authority operates in 15 divisional secretariat divisions including Kundasale, Ududumbara, Deltota, Udunuwara, Rattota, Ukuwela, Dehiovita, Deraniyagala, Ruwanwella, Bulathkohupitiya, Hanguranketha, Walapane and Kothmale which belongs to Kandy, Matale, Kegalle and Nuwara Eliya districts. In addition, the authority has covered all divisional secretariat divisions in Badulla district.

The authority has made arrangements to develop 10,000 acres of lands in the central hills this year which have been situated in these 15 divisional secretariat divisions. Priority will be given to soil conservation activities of these lands which will be conducted with the assistance of villagers and the relevant institutions, he said.

Meanwhile, the Hadabima Authority will shortly make a study of the areas affected by the floods and landslide with the intention of educating the public on the importance of soil conservation, he said.

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