Proposed road through Wilpattu National Park will not go ahead, court told

The Attorney General has informed the Supreme Court yesterday (07) that authorities have decided not to proceed with the construction of a road through the Wilpattu National Park, as previously suggested.

This statement was made by Deputy Solicitor General Avanti Perera, representing the Attorney General, during a court hearing before a bench comprising Justices Janak de Silva, Mahinda Samayawardhena, and Sampath Abeykoon, regarding a fundamental rights petition filed by an environmental organization against the construction of a road.

Following the government’s announcement that the road will not be built, both parties agreed before court to resolve the petition amicably.

However, it was stated before the Supreme Court bench that the existing road that currently passes through the Wilpattu National Park can be maintained under the regulations of the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance.

Accordingly, the three-judge bench recorded the settlement and decided to conclude the hearing of the petition.
 
The petitioner had filed the case after receiving information that authorities are planning to construct a road through the Wilpattu National Park. The petitioner argued that such a development would cause significant harm to the Park’s ecosystem and pose a danger to wildlife.

As such, the petitioner requested the Supreme Court to issue an order preventing the execution of the proposed project.