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| Tuesday, 3 February 2004 |
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Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Rukman Senanayake laid the foundation stone of a development project which will provide infrastructure facilities such as Information and Observation centre, an office for the Garden-keepers, quarters for the Garden-keepers, range forest officers and pilot officers of the Udawalawe National Park. These development activities will be implemented by the Wildlife Management project with ADB funds. All the architectural activities will be done to suit to the natural environment adding the Bogahapattiya reserved water-resources to the park and management of habitats of living beings, thereby preventing the animals from leaving the park. This will be achieved according to the new development plan. Roads in the parks are already being repaired by means of the caterpillars granted by the Born-Free Institute to the Udawalawe National Park last year, enabling the tourists to travel inside the park easily. Moreover, invasive plant species are also being removed by the villagers of the surrounding villages. Such activities, therefore, have generated a number of employment opportunities for them. The Udawalawe National Park which is bounded by the Rathnapura and Moneragala Districts, is a result of the Walawe River Development Scheme. This National Park which had been created with the view to protecting the wild animals who were deprived of there natural habitats as a result of this development scheme, and protecting the catchment areas containing in extent 3400 declared a National Park by the Fauna and Flora Ordinance, on 30th June 1970. Udawalawe National Park contains 3084 hectares. The new development scheme will provide more facilities for the local and foreign visitors and students to gain a wider knowledge about the park. Arrangements are being made to improve the economy of the villagers in 52 villages in the proximity of the park, provide fertile lands for agricultural purposes, provide money for construction of tanks and generate employment opportunities. A plan is being made to fulfil such purposes, by visiting several villages. After laying the foundation stone for the Udawalawe development project, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Rukman Senanayake said, "when starting the Wildlife Department, the whole world was of the view that the Udawalawe National Park be maintained as a prohibited area.However, that concept now changing. Arrangements are now being made to recover the expenditure required to maintain the wildlife park, from the park itself". "The land area of the Udawalawa National Park consists of the lands belong to the villagers who live in surrounding areas. Therefore, the Udawalawe National Park should provide a great support for them. Hence, a portion of the income of the park should be divided among them. Then, they will look at the National Park and animals as if they were their own wealth. This park should be converted to a resource which makes money for them annually". "Ancient people in the villages bear a wider knowledge about the life-styles of the wild animals etc. We should acquire that knowledge from them. Sri Lanka was a country where people lived in harmony with the wild animals. "Not only the Government but also plural people, the NGOs, and other institutions should also work towards protecting our national parks. We should bear the responsibility of granting our inheritance to the future generation too. If we cut a tree, we can plant another tree. But the species which face the extinction can no longer be seen". "At present, 550 fauna species and 690 species of flora are threatened with extinction. Of these, some plant species are endemic to Sri Lanka. These species are invaluable". "It is difficult to allocate money to protect and maintain the parks, as it is the prior responsibility of a Government to allocate funds to fulfil the basic needs of the citizens. The Government should allocate money for basic needs such as education, health etc. In the countries like Kenya, tourism industry relating to the wild animals and parks, generates the capital income of the country. Basic facilities required to visit the National Park, should be provided for the local visitors as well as foreign visitors. Of the tourists who arrive in Sri Lanka, only a 10% visit the national parks". Project Director of Wildlife Management Kariyawasam Dayananda, Director General of Wildlife H.M.B.C. Herath, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources K.P. Jayasena and the Director of Department of Wildlife Ranjith Iriyagama attended this event. |
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