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| Thursday, 2 September 2004 |
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Gang destroys sand dunes, attacks environmentalist A range of sand-dunes which provided an eye-catching backdrop to the coastal beaches and protected them at Andimunai, a hamlet near the fishing village of Udappu, off Chilaw, have been destroyed by a prominent local politician of the area to provide land to his supporters to build houses. The sand dunes have now vanished from view. Dozens of bulldozers were used by this politician of the North-Western Provincial Council to flatten them regardless of environmental concerns and the pleas of the owner of the coconut estate in which the dunes were situated. Meanwhile, a report by our Puttalam Group Correspondent states that the Chief Organiser of the Rambepitiya Environmental Conservation Organisation" M. Ruwan has been attacked by an organized gang of thugs, who stormed his residence at night. Ruwan who sustained serious injuries has been admitted to the Chilaw hospital while his wife who was also injured has been discharged from the Chilaw hospital. The organiser of this environmental conservation movement formed the Rambepitiya Environmental Organization in protest against the mass scale sand mining in the area from the Deduru-oya river bed. Business "King-pins" had employed heavy equipment to collect sand, load and transport. This was an environmental disaster as realised by a majority of the population in and around Rambepitiya and Ruwan has been giving them the leadership to fight for their cause. At a meeting in the Rambepitya village he had severely criticized this act and the Chilaw Police on August 22, has rounded up the area and taken into custody two Back-hoe loaders and two tippers deployed in this illicit sand mining and transportation, upon the Deduru-oya river bed. Chilaw ASP Chandana Alahakoon is of the opinion that the attack on Ruwan is consequential to the above incidents and is conducting further investigations with a team of his officers. Two suspects have been arrested and further inquiries are in progress according to police. |
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