Hon. (Dr.) Dammika Patabendi — Minister of Environment

¶ 01 [5.52 p.m.]

¶ 02 Hon. Presiding Member, I thank especially Hon. Lasith Bhashana Gamage for bringing today’s Adjournment Motion regarding the Muthurajawela wetland. Muthurajawela comprises a collection of ecosystems spread over about 6,232 hectares.

¶ 03 Muthurajawela is Sri Lanka’s largest coastal saline marsh. Extending from the Kelani River to the Negombo Lagoon, its western boundary is the sea and the eastern boundary is the Colombo–Negombo main road. Spanning numerous urban and industrial areas, this wetland consists of marsh, ecological habitats and mangroves. Folklore notes that what was historically paddy land—belonging to the king who provided pearls and fine rice like pearls—was called “Muthurajawela”. It comprises approximately 3,164 hectares from the Negombo Lagoon and about 3,068 hectares of marshlands extending southwards adjacent to the lagoon.

¶ 04 During the Dutch period, for transporting goods from the Kelani River parallel to the Colombo–Negombo road up to the Negombo Lagoon, a canal was constructed through the Muthurajawela paddy tract—known as the Dutch Canal. Later, the British, to formalize goods transport, constructed the Hamilton Canal running parallel to the coast from the Kelani River through the Muthurajawela paddy tract to the Negombo Lagoon, and from there to Puttalam. As a result, saline water flowed into Muthurajawela, making paddy cultivation increasingly unsuitable; agriculture has since declined. To control saline intrusion during high tide, more than 20 small gated canals linking the Hamilton and Dutch Canals were built, but without adequate results. Consequently, this wetland system has gradually transformed into a saline marsh system.

¶ 05 Hon. Presiding Member, at that point this situation became one of the largest environmental impacts in Sri Lanka. Therefore, Muthurajawela can no longer be regarded as cultivable paddy land. It is now zoned into several areas: a conservation zone, a buffer zone associated with that conservation zone, and a mixed urban zone. Still, the entirety of Muthurajawela can be described as a complex of wetlands. This is due to the presence of multiple wetland types within the marsh, including the Negombo Lagoon, Dutch Canal and Hamilton Canal, which flow through Muthurajawela and connect with the Negombo Lagoon along with streams such as Dandugam Oya. Accordingly, this wetland system serves as an important breeding and feeding ground for shallow marine fish species, prawns and crabs. Thus, the existence of fish species in the Negombo Lagoon and the livelihoods of small-scale fishers depend on this wetland system. Therefore, as the Ministry of Environment, we have taken measures to protect this ecosystem.

¶ 06 In particular, under the provisions of the National Environmental Act, the Central Environmental Authority has already declared 162.1 hectares of the Muthurajawela wetland as an Environmental Protection Area for conservation and management.

¶ 07 Furthermore, the conservation and management activities of Muthurajawela are carried out through a committee comprising all relevant stakeholders: the Divisional Secretariat, the Department of Wildlife Conservation, the Urban Development Authority, and others. Also, the National Wetlands Steering Committee, established to provide guidance, coordination and follow-up for all wetland-related activities in Sri Lanka, is chaired by the Secretary to the Ministry of Environment, while the Central Environmental Authority, Department of Wildlife Conservation and other relevant state institutions work to protect these wetlands.

¶ 08 Muthurajawela is the fifth largest wetland in Sri Lanka. It has been declared a Sanctuary by the Department of Wildlife Conservation, with a total area of 1,028.62 hectares, declared on 03.10.1996. Boundary pillars for this Sanctuary have now been established. Based on its biological significance, an additional proposed Sanctuary area has been identified to be annexed in future. By including only the wetland portions—excluding developed areas—within the proposed Sanctuary expansion, we aim to legally protect a greater extent of wetlands. Necessary steps are being taken to declare the Muthurajawela Sanctuary as an international Ramsar wetland site.

¶ 09 Hon. Presiding Member, after 25 years, amendments have been proposed in the new Environmental Act to be presented shortly, to empower the Central Environmental Authority for wetland protection. We hope to further safeguard the Muthurajawela wetland ecosystem accordingly.

¶ 10 An Opposition Member also raised the land issues in the North and East. Regarding those, a Cabinet Sub-Committee has already been appointed and is functioning to look into these matters. If people have issues regarding lands, they can present them to that Sub-Committee for necessary resolution, while the Ministry of Environment will intervene to protect the ecosystems of the North and East as well.

¶ 11 Thank you very much.