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Resistance mounts against Uva-Wellassa sugar project
Reputed ecologist Professor Sarath Kotagama said that the proposed sugar factory in Bibile would destroy Uva-Wellassa region's bio-diversity, which is second only to Sinharaja rain forest and Sabaragamuwa.
Addressing media at the press conference organized to aware the problems of the proposed project, Prof. Kotagama said that the environmental damage to the country is greater than the economic prospects of the sugar factory. He further said that he had made aware the President Mahinda Rajapakse on the disadvantages of the project.
Based on his knowledge, experience and documented proof, he said that a conspiracy is behind the project that destruct the rich bio-diversity of Uva-Wellassa. Entirely denying the proposal to grow sugarcane in the region, Prof. Kotagama said that the government could re-spread the orange cultivation in Wellassa where any fruit grows.
The Adviser of the Wellassa People's Rights Chief Monk Badullagammana Sumanasara Thero said that a petition of the people have been sent to the President Mahinda Rajapakse protesting the setting up of the sugar factory and the spread of sugarcane cultivation in the region.
He further stated that the factory would produce liquor more than sugar in opposition to the government's policy of 'Mathata Thitha,' to alleviate alcoholism. He said that the English colonialists demolished the social terrain of Uva-Wellassa since the freedom struggle was initiated from there adding that the same could not be allowed to take place today.
Dr. Lionel Weerakoon, Dr. Gamini Kularathna, Sarath Fernando, K.H.M. Jayawardhana and Prabhath Kumara also addressed the media.
Meanwhile, the Central Environment Authority (CEA) Chairman Udaya Gammanpila says that the CEA has denied approving the project for cultivating 65,000 acres of sugarcane in Uva Wellassa region due to the environmental sensitivity of the project. The CEA Chairman says that the company cannot proceed because there is no private land in that area to that amount for the company to acquire.
However, sources from the area say that the British company Booker Tate that is planning to set up a factory in Bibile has already set up an office there aiming to proceed. The cabinet of Ministers has approved the project.
The government has ambitious plans to increase the local sugar production from 10% currently to 20%. Participating in a debate on the proposed project on July 17, the Minister of Supplementary Crops Development R.M. Dharmadasa Banda said in the parliament that the government aimed at increasing the local production of sugar up to 50% of the consumption by setting up the sugar factories. He said that the annual consumption of sugar is 600,000 metric tons and the local production is only 56,000 metric tons.
