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Galle port city project poses major threat to marine life
View(s):A 500-page Supplementary Environmental Impact Assessment (SEIA) report says the Sri Lanka Ports Authority’s proposed Galle Port Development Project will adversely affect the coral reefs in Rumassala Marine Sanctuary (RMS).
The project aims to create “a fully fledged tourist port” with 44.97 hectares of reclaimed land for recreational and tourism real estate investments.
The Colombo Port City-style reclamation project includes a 150-metre berth for passenger cruise ships and superyachts and a state-of-the-art cruise terminal. Reclamation will extend seawards about 300 metres from Dewata Beach—a world-renowned surfing destination—and require 1.9 million metric tonnes of filling materials, to be dredged from the Bay of Galle seabed.
The reclamation will be financed via a public-private partnership (PPP). Once built, the port will also be run on the PPP (public-private partnership) model, the SEIA states. The Port Authority proposal is now open for public comment.
“The most adverse impacts are envisioned for coral reefs within the Rumassala Marine Sanctuary (RMS) due to its proximity to the development site and the sensitivity of corals to changes in sediment loading, water quality, and circulation,” the SEIA says. “In addition, components of the project will be carried out within the marine protected area and its influence zone.”
The SEIA says adverse environmental impacts could be reduced if mitigation recommendations are adopted.
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