Special committee appointed to look into Muthurajawela issue

An eight-member committee has been appointed under the directives of the President and the Prime Minister to look into the gazette notification on the Muthurajawela Wetlands.

It consists of Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, Urban Development and Waste Disposal State Minister Dr. Nalaka Godahewa, Rural Roads and other Infrastructure State Minister Nimal Lanza, Primary Health Care, Epidemics and COVID Disease Control State Minister Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle and MPs Nalin Fernando, Jayantha Weerasinghe and MP Weerasumana Weerasinghe.

In addition, Gampaha District Secretary Sunil Jayalath has also been selected to the panel.

An extraordinary gazette notification was published recently, vesting nearly 3,000-acre land belonging to Muthurajawela wetlands with the Urban Development Authority (UDA). However, it was met with public disapproval.

Accordingly, this committee is tasked with reviewing the areas identified in the relevant gazette notification before proposing any changes to its content.