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Vidattaltivu village fisherfolk prepare to oppose mangrove land grab
View(s):- Environmentalists raise concern over ministry’s move to hand over part of protected area to private aquaculture businesses
By Hafsa Sabry
The government’s recent decision to degazette sections of the northern region’s largest mangrove nature reserve, Vidattaltivu, has raised significant concern among environmentalists and local communities.
Originally declared a nature reserve to prevent any human interference, the land is now poised to be transferred to the Fisheries Ministry for aquaculture activities. The Vidattaltivu Mangrove area, declared a protected nature reserve in 2016, has recently seen 169 hectares degazetted by the Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Conservation from the total area of 29,180 hectares. The reserve has been a vital livelihood source for the local community.
The Vidattaltivu Mangrove area was declared a protected nature reserve in 2016
The Vidattaltivu village fishermen and a former wildlife conservation ranger, Marynathan Edison, said the villagers would oppose the government’s move. A protest will be held soon.
“We have been requesting access to the land for our livelihoods, which the government has blocked. Now, the ministry is planning to release it to private companies. This is unfair,” he said.
The gazette notice is only in Sinhala, a language most villagers do not understand, and there is no mapping of the areas that have been degazetted. “How can the government proceed without public consultation or a field visit?” he asked.
A local fisherman said the villagers were also engaged in eco-tourism, showing tourists around the area until 2019, when navy and army officers stopped their activities, claiming that the area was a nature reserve. “We only fish seasonally and stick to coastal fishing. Some fishermen venture 25 kilometres out to catch blue swimming crabs, but we don’t go deep into the reserve.”
Manjula Amararathna, the Wildlife Conservation Department’s (DWC) director in charge of reserves, said the Fisheries Ministry had initially requested about 2,000 hectares, but the DWC rejected the proposal after an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) by the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency indicated the land was too sensitive for aquaculture.
Despite this, repeated requests led to additional surveys and EIAs, resulting in the decision to release 168.55 hectares deemed less sensitive. According to the survey, the mangrove reserve was separated into three slots: very sensitive area (20 hectares), a less sensitive area (169 hectares), which was decided to be released, and the remainder being the nature reserve.
“The DWC had to release the land in accordance with a Cabinet paper by the ministry,’’ he said. The DWC has requested that they carry out an EIA for any projects they undertake in the area.
Vidura Munasinghe of the People’s Alliance for Right to Land (PARL), representing an NGO aiding the local community in reclaiming their land rights, said the community isn’t seeking ownership for monetary gain; rather, they simply desire access to the land to continue their traditional livelihoods.
A local fisherman expressed concerns about the existing prawn farms in the area.
”Prawn farming involves heavy chemical use. They treat the water with high levels of chlorine and have to manage the larvae and diseases. After harvesting, they release the contaminated water back into the natural water reserve,’’ he said.
“Imagine if private companies were given the authority to establish prawn farms here. The use of chemicals would increase, and more contaminated water would be released into our natural reserves, causing severe environmental damage.”
In the meantime, the environmentalist and the national coordinator of the Centre for Environment and Nature Studies (CENS), Ravindra Kariyawasam, emphasised the critical role of mangroves in protecting coastal areas.
Mangroves are vital for biodiversity conservation, as they serve not only as breeding grounds for fish but also as a significant oxygen source. Additionally, they play a crucial role in water purification by filtering water before it reaches the sea. Water and sediment flowing from the hills first pass through the mangroves, where they undergo recycling processes.
Legal action can be pursued against private companies under the Flora and Fauna Act and the National Environment Act if they attempt to occupy the nature reserve. This underscores why the government decided to degazette the area first, to facilitate potential private sector involvement while navigating legal complexities.
“These laws provide recourse for biodiversity protection and ecological integrity in such areas. However, it seems that it has been degazetted to evade potential legal repercussions, undermining transparency and accountability,’’ he said.
However, the Ministry of Fisheries said the proposal had been submitted long ago, with extensive surveys and EIAs done before land was released. According to them, the project promises improvements and benefits for the country with no adverse effects.
“The allocated land is significantly less than what was initially requested, around 2,000 hectares. However, after meticulous consideration and thorough EIAs, the decision was made to allocate this smaller portion. It is asserted that this allocation will have no adverse effects on the environment, indicating a careful balance between development needs and environmental preservation,” the Ministry said.
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