Govt to reassess gazette on Vidataltivu reserve

The Supreme Court has ordered the extension of the interim injunction issued preventing the execution of a gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Conservation under the previous government to release 168 acres of land from the Vidataltivu Nature Reserve associated with the Wilpattu National Park for the establishment of a shrimp farm.

Accordingly, the interim order was extended until 29 July 2025 when a petition filed challenging the former government’s decision was taken up before the three-member Supreme Court bench consisting of Justices S. Thurairaja, A.H.M.D. Nawaz and Janak de Silva today (12).

During the hearing, Deputy Solicitor General Fazly Razik who appeared on behalf of the Attorney General, informed the court that the new government has decided to review the relevant gazette notification and requested the court for a new date to inform the next step related to the case.

Accordingly, the court ordered the case to be recalled on July 29, and extended the interim injunction issued in this regard until that date.

The relevant petitions were filed by a group including the Wildlife Conservation Association and the Centre for Environmental Justice, naming the then-Minister of Wildlife as respondents.