Piduruthalagala under the torch

By Saliya Kumara Gunasekara

Many acres of forest reserve have been destroyed from a fire that erupted in Nuwara Eliya and Horton plains last week, but authorities have failed to nab the culprits who ignite forests and bring loss and destruction to the country, environmentalists charged.
They say that “Wildlife officers in Nuwara Eliya have not shown any interest in protecting the eco system and not a single wildlife officer took part in the attempt to extinguish the fire that erupted last Monday in Nuwara Eliya. In addition, no meaningful steps have been taken to prevent the hunting of animals, now the norm in the Piduruthalagala reserve”.
This was not the first time that the Piduruthalagala area was set on fire. In previous wanton fires too large areas of forest were destroyed. It is alleged that poachers, timber racketeers and firewood-gatherers are among the groups of people who set fire to the area.
According to the Sri Lanka Environment Exploration Society, the fire had caused a great deal of damage to the Piduruthalagala eco system, completely destroying over 1000 plants and a large number of eucalyptus trees. In addition to this, many animals such as “Le Madilla”, “Ang Katussa” have perished in the fire.
The Piduruthalagala protected area, which is important not only to Nuwara Eliya, but to the whole country, is the latest victim of degradation and environmentalists warn that if this trend continues, Nuwara Eliya will one day end up barren and dry.
Last Monday, a fire was spreading in the protected area near the Nuwara Eliya cemetery.
With over 150 people, range forest officer Parakrama Wanigasingha and other forest officers, officers from the Nuwara Eliya police, the fire brigade, members of Sri Lanka Enviroment Exploration Society, officers from the AG office etc., assisted in extinguishing the fire. With the help of an air force helicopter spraying the area, the fire was brought completely under control by evening.
Meanwhile, the Piduruthalagala farm which is situated at the eastern border of the reserve has maneouvered its way inside the reserve and hunting thrives in the ‘Mathurata’ area. Piduruthalagala boasted of high bio diversity but most of water sources have gone dry today due to the clearing of the forest surrounding the reserve. Environmentalists warn that the people of Nuwara Eliya will face a serious problem if the water sources in the reserve run dry.