Airstrip case grounded after Air Force assurance
By Laila Nasry
The Court of Appeal has dismissed the case concerning the controversial commercial airstrip to be constructed in the proximity of the Sigiriya rock, after the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) gave an assurance that project has been abandoned.

The bench comprising Justices Raja Fernando and K. Sripavan dismissed the case when Deputy Solicitor General Bimba Tillekeratne informed court that the authorities had instructed her to inform court that the project had been abandoned.

In view of the said undertaking the counsel for the petitioner, the The Environment Foundation Limited, moved to withdraw the application.The EFL filed a writ application citing the Central Environment Authority, Directors General of Archaeology, Shiran Dissanayake and W.H. Wijepala and Air Force Commander Donald Perera among others as respondents.

The EFL said the construction of an airstrip would be detrimental to the historic Sigiriya rock and its environs. The airstrip, built to accommodate commercial air traffic was to be situated two kilometers away from the rock, the location coming within the boundaries of the Sigiriya wildlife sanctuary, which is part of an archaeological reserve within the cultural triangle.

The EFL claimed that the construction which was being carried out without an Environment Impact Assessment report would cause environmental disruption, noise pollution, vibrations, dust, pollution from petrol fuel and other chemical substances, while it would also cause irreparable damage to the natural and man made environment of Sigiriya, drive away the wild life from the sanctuary and destroy the cultural heritage.

Meanwhile, a Sri Lanka Air Force spokesman told The Sunday Times that the SLAF had carried out preliminary survey to relocate the ill-fated airstrip at Palugaswewa between Habarana and Maradankaduwela in the Anuradhapura district.

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