An environmental watchdog has asked UNESCO to intervene urgently to stop what it says is an unlawful road being carved through the Knuckles Conservation Forest, part of Sri Lanka’s Central Highlands World Heritage Site.
In a letter dated Decemeber 5, the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) warned that an 8-kilometer trail under construction between Thangappuwa and Corbett’s Gap cuts through a legally protected conservation zone.
The group said rapid progress on the project risks causing irreversible harm to one of the country’s most ecologically significant landscapes.
The CEJ urged UNESCO to press the Sri Lankan government to immediately halt all construction within the protected area and to dispatch a “reactive monitoring mission” under the World Heritage Convention to assess threats to the site’s “Outstanding Universal Value.”
It also called for guidance on corrective measures to restore and safeguard the integrity of the Central Highlands.
According to the CEJ, the Knuckles range is designated a Conserved Forest under the Forest Ordinance, which prohibits roadbuilding, land clearing and any alteration of forest terrain, with violations carrying fines and possible imprisonment.
The area is also listed as an Environmental Protection Area under the National Environmental Act of 1980.
The CEJ alleged that some public officials and political representatives appear to be supporting the unapproved construction, describing the situation as a serious breakdown in governance and accountability.
Executive Director Dilena Pathragoda said the urgency of the request stems from the pace of the work, which the CEJ maintains could cause damage that cannot be undone.
The complaint was copied to several Sri Lankan authorities, including the Ministry of Environment and the Central Environmental Authority.
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