New gem deposit found

Disna MUDALIGE

A gem deposit was found in the Samimale area in Maskeliya, while removing a sand barrier to prevent the overflowing of Samimale Oya, National Gem and Jewellary Authority (NGJA) Senior Development Manager G. W. Amarasiri told the Daily News.

"Gem deposits are profoundly reported in Maskeliya. This time about 60 perches has been identified as a gem deposit. Nuwara Eliya District Secretariat informed us soon after the discovery. We took measures to provide security to the area. Police and NGJA officials are placed around the deposit to prevent illegal mining," he said.

"The major problem to establish legal mines in the area is the legal issue that persists between Regional Plantation Companies and Land Reforms Commission about the ownership of the lands.

"As a result, it has become a favourite spot for illegal gem mining," he noted.

Illegal gem mining has caused a lot of environmental and health problems in the area, since miners do not fill the pits after mining, and since they use lakes to wash the stones.

"We have done our best effort to raid illegal gem mines, but it is rather impossible to eliminate it completely, since the deposits are spread over a large area.

Most often, these illegal activities are carried out at night. The best solution to this problem is developing the gem industry by establishing more legal mines," Amarasiri said.

The impact of such mines on the environment is very low because they are done according to the environment laws and regulations under the inspection of experts and specialists in the field," he said.

"Regional Plantation Companies own 75 percent of the land in this area. We are unable to start mines due to the land ownership crisis.

This has worsened to such an extent that it needs the intervention of the President to solve it. On one hand, this has caused a negative effect on the gem industry in the country as well," he explained.

National Gem Industry must be given facilities since it contributes the export economy and tourism in the country, and help reduce unemployment.