The Supreme Court has issued an interim order preventing the implementation of a Gazette notification issued by Wildlife Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, which de-gazetted a section of the Vidataltivu Nature Reserve in Wilpattu to allocate it for a prawn farm project.
In May, an extraordinary gazette had been issued to de-gazette a section of the Vidataltivu Nature Reserve to set up an aquaculture industrial park. This park is intended for farming various species, including marine finfish, crabs, and exotic species of shrimp, as part of a Public Private Partnership.
The gazette, issued by Minister of Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation Pavithradevi Wanniarachchi, stated that the area specified in the appendix of the gazette would no longer be designated as part of the Vidataltivu Nature Reserve.
However, the Center for Environmental Justice (CEJ) filed a petition with the Supreme Court challenging the government’s decision.