DWC officers pressured to re-open road inside Wilpattu Park

The officials of the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) complained that senior officials pressured them to reopen the road located in the middle of Wilpattu National Park to allow voters to travel to Marchchikattu in Mannar.

The road stretching in the middle of Wilpattu National Park was closed according to a Supreme Court order. However influential groups are pressurising the wildlife officials to allow them access to run buses through the park taking people from Puttalam to Mannar and Marchchikattu to transport voters during the Election Day.   

The road extending from Puttalam to Mannar, via Wilpattu Park, was opened in 2015. Yet, the environmental groups protested on the matter resulting in the Supreme Court issuing an order to close down the road considering the damage it could have caused to the environment.

According to the DWC officials, the road which extends from Eluwankulam entrance to Modagamaaru cutting across 45 kilometres through Wilpattu National Park is currently used by DWC officials, Naval offices and security forces.

However influential politicians in the region are pressurizing officers to open the road, to DWC officers alleged. They pointed out that they cannot go against the Supreme Court order.

However, the DWC officials expressed concerns that moves are underway to transport people in buses on election day to travel to Mannar and Marchchikattu to cast their votes. Allowing an increased number of vehicles to traverse within the park would have affected the fauna and flora in the park, the DWC officers noted.