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Eco friendly cable cars get ministry green light
View(s):The Environment Minister has amended the 2007 gazette titled “Lake Gregory Environmental Protection Area” to include cable car projects as a permitted activity.
“Construction, Operation and maintenance of Cable Car Project from Nanu Oya to Nuwara Eliya, shall not have adverse impact on the Environmental Protection Area,” the amendment states. This clears a hurdle in the way of the Government going ahead with the proposed Euro 52mn initiative which was approved by Cabinet under the Yahapalana administration.
Earlier this year, Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga announced his administration’s bid to continue with the project. The Urban Development Authority and Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority said they would implement the 23-tower cable car system from Nanu Oya railway station to Lake Gregory in Nuwara Eliya.
But it also ran into controversy owing to a huge increase in the original cost cited by the investors–Dopelme Cable Car Company of Australia and its local partner Outdoor Engineering Lanka Ltd–despite there being no change in the specifications. There were concerns, too, regarding its impact on the environment.
Proponents of the project argue, however, that cable cars are one of the eco-friendliest modes of transport with minimal environmental impact; does not emit harmful gases or other elements; has close to zero ground and visual pollution, etc.
Till now, the permitted uses around Lake Gregory were eco-friendly restaurants, parks and playgrounds, temporary fairs and exhibitions, recreational clubs, aquariums, camping, picnicking sites, small food courts, utility service-related structures, visitor and information centres and outdoor fitness facilities.
Also permitted were caravan parking sites, other nature-based recreation activities, water transport, water sports such as rowing, sailing, pleasure and pedal-boating, jetties and piers, marsh and theme parsk, forests, angling decks, foot paths, walkways, cycle ways, bridleways, ponds and cascades.