Cardinal Malcom Ranjith opposes filling of Muthurajawela wetlands

 Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcom Ranjith in a letter addressed to the Director General Central Environment Authority had requested the latter to refrain from granting approval for the proposed LNG power plant that is to be constructed in Muturajawela.

“It is clear that there are very serious adverse,social and ecological impacts in the project of CEB I kindly request you not to approve the said project,” Cardinal Ranjith said in his letter.

Cardinal Ranjith outlined several issues as reasons for his opposing of the project. “There has been no study conducted with regard to any survey of an alternative location for the project, the environment impact assessment report has only been conducted for refilling of the Muthurajawela wetlands, to the extent of 119.871 acres, the report has not gone into duly conducting a study concerning the impact on the significantly important animal and plant species in Muthurajawela wetlands, increasing risk of flooding in the residential area, the serious impact of extracting sea sand from Thambagala in order to fill up 119.871 acres, the refilled area being a part of the buffer zone, failure to assess the rainfall impact and the impact on the ecological system by the LNG power plant were included in the issues stressed by the cardinal.

“These observations are made by me in my capacity as the Archbishop of Colombo who is deeply concerned with the well being of my people who form the nucleus of the population in the said area,” he added.

“The Cardinal said while highlighting that the rulers of this country had acted as they were owners of this country. The country belongs to the people and not to the rulers,” he said.