Devani stands her ground - again

Gampaha range forest officer Devani Jayathilaka who has been making controversial statements said that she will not be giving permission for   Dredging  the Negambo lagoon. Dredging is to be undertaken to clean the lagoon by removing sand and mud deposits.

 

Devani  pointed out that the fisheries authorities have been dumping sand and mud from the lagoon on to the oxygen producing Mangroves and until that is rectified she will not give permission for dredging the lagoon.

 

State Minister Nimal Lansa said that the two issues are inter connected and a project worth  600 million  rupees is being unduly delayed.

 

Criminal

 

Devani said that as the mangroves are been harmed the current act of dumping sand is a criminal act and she could not give permission for a criminal. The Gampaha GA Sunil Jayalath questioned Devani as how she could call a government project as a criminal act.    

 

State minister Sudarshani Fernandopulle

 

Said that about 6000 fisherman will benefit from the dredging and there is a peoples request for it and Devani should not confuse matters. Devani was accused of providing sound bites for the media.

 

At the end of a heated debate there was agreement to explore the possibility of removing sand dumped on the mangroves.