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| Wednesday, 4 August 2004 |
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by Florence Wickramage The Environment and Natural Resources Ministry has stepped into solve the problem of landless farmer/cultivators in the Devramvehera and Bogahawewa areas belonging to the Lunugamvehera Pradeshiya Secretariat Division. Minister A.H.M.Fowzie granted one acre of land each to around 240 unauthorised farmer families who had cultivated but had not owned these lands for the past 20 years. A stretch of land bordering the Kirindi Oya from the Lunugamvehera Rerserve owned by the Department of Wildlife Conservation was distributed among these landless farmer families. After the distribution of these lands at a function held at the Lunugamvehera Pradeshiya Secretariat office recently, Minister Fowzie advised farmers to plant trees to make their settlements "green villages" and emphasised that it was now their responsibility to protect the Lunugamvehera Nature Reserve from unauthorised encroachers. In addition the Minister granted two acres of land each to Chena cultivators in the areas who had cultivated their lands continuously for a period of three years. Minister Fowzie emphasised that out of the two acre land-block half an acre should be planted with trees to protect and ensure a green clean environment. Listening to the grievances of cattle farmers, the Minister observed that cattle grazing within National Parks was a problem and said that 500 hectares belonging to the Forest Conservation Department has been earmarked to be developed as cattle-grazing grounds and five tanks in the area will be concurrently developed. The Minister instructed officials to set a time limit for cattle farmers to graze their cattle in the National Parks until the programme was completed. |
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