It has been decided to immediately suspend construction activities in the Ambuluwawa environmental zone

The Ministry of Environment has ordered the suspension of all construction activities within the Ambuluwawa Environmental Zone until further notice. The Ministry emphasizes that this step has been taken pending a technical evaluation by experts regarding the area.

Instructions were given to the Central Environmental Authority to obtain a formal report from experts regarding the hazardous situation around Ambuluwawa Mountain, according to a notice issued on January 9th. Various problematic situations that recently arose concerning environmental management and safety conditions within the Ambuluwawa Environmental Zone have been the main reason for this decision.

Authorities have also taken steps to appoint an expert committee to investigate the issues related to the administration and control of this protected zone. This committee is expected to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the environmental, structural, and regulatory aspects of ongoing and proposed development projects.

Furthermore, officials from the Central Environmental Authority, journalists who reported on the issue, and civil society activists are also scheduled to undertake a joint field observation tour of the Ambuluwawa Environmental Zone in the coming days. Authorities further emphasize that future decisions regarding construction activities and the future management of the area will be made based on the relevant expert report and findings from the field observations.