Cabinet approval given to declare Muthurajawela wetland as a National Reserve

The Cabinet has granted approval to a proposal to declare the Muthurajawela wetland area as a National Reserve and to prepare a master plan for its conservation. 

The combined Cabinet proposal was submitted by the Prime Minister in his capacity as the Minister of Urban Development and Housing, along with Ministers of Wildlife and Forest Conservation and Environment. 

Explaining the Cabinet decision, the Government noted that the wetland environmental system in the proximity of Muthurajawela spread over an area covering approximately 6,232 hectares with the Negombo lagoon and a wetland / marshy land, is delivering a tremendous support in maintaining the socio – economic wellbeing of the urban population securing the environmental stability of the area.

The Master Plan prepared in 1991 jointly by the Central Environment Authority with Greater Colombo Economic Commission with the objective of protecting this wetland area has introduced 03 major land utilization patterns as the conservation zone, induction zone and mixed urban zone.

Further to this, the Department of Wildlife and Forest Conservation has nominated a portion of 1,285.45 hectares of land as Muthurajawela reserve while the Central Environment Authority has nominated an area in extent of 162.1 hectares as an environment protection area.

However, this eco system is threatened of destruction due to reasons such as irregular land filling, development of various infrastructure facilities for numerous purposes, encroachments and disposal of garbage.

Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the combined proposal to take the following measures to 
ensure the long term existence of the wetland area as well as its sustainable usage:

• Accelerated preparation of a master plan to suit the contemporary period for the conservation of Muthurajawela wet land zone
• Appointment of a monitoring committee and a working committee comprised of the 
  heads / representatives of the applicable stakeholder institutions
• Acquisition of required government / private lands for implementation of an 
  appropriate conservation methodology subject to the provisions of the Urban 
  Development Act as per the Monitoring Committee recommendations
  
• Entrusting the responsibility of taking necessary actions in regard to the sustainable 
  usage of the eco – system as a wet land / low land to Sri Lanka Land Development 
  Cooperation
• The areas identified under the Master Plan as areas to be declared conserved as a 
  National Reserve under the Fauna and Flora Ordinance
• Taking necessary actions to declare Muthurajawela wetland area as a Ramzar wetland 
  by implementing the Master plan that is to be prepared by the Monitoring Committee