Order declaring the Thalangama Environmental Protection Area

Y%S ,xld m%cd;dka;%sl iudcjdoS ckrcfha .eigs m;%h. w;sjsfYaI The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka EXTRAORDINARY (Published by Authority) PART I: SECTION ( I ) – GENERAL Government Notification L.D.B 4/81. (ii) THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACT, No. 47 OF 1980 Order under section 24C and section 24D BY VIRTUE of the powers vested in me by section 24C and section 24D of the National Environmental Act, No. 47 of 1980, I, Patali Champika Ranawaka, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources ,do by this Order ,declare a) that the limits of the area of land described in the schedule I hereto shall be an environmental protection area for the purposes of the aforesaid Act and shall be called the “Thalangama Environmental Protection Area”, and b) that for so long as this Order is in force, i. any planning scheme or project within the aforesaid protection area which is in conflict with the provisions of the aforesaid Act, shall cease to operate from the date of the making hereof; ii. no person other than the Central Environmental Authority shall exercise any powers or discharge any functions within the limits of the aforesaid Thalangama environmental protection area; iii. the powers and functions of the Central Environmental Authority (Permitted Uses) shall in relation to the aforesaid environmental protection area , be limited to those specified in Schedule II to this Order and shall be exercised and discharged in accordance with the conditions specified in Schedule III hereto. For the purposes of this Order “Central Environmental Authority” means the Authority established under the National Environmental Act, No. 47 of 1980. Patali Champika Ranawaka Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Colombo, 23 rd February, 2007 wxl 1"487$10 - 2007 ud¾;= 05 jeks i|qod - 2007.03.05. No.1, 487/10 – MONDAY, MARCH 05, 2007 SCHEDULE I LIMITS OF THE THALANGAMA ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AREA North Commencing from the southern corner of the Pottewela Anicut and proceeding from the centre line of the Depa Ela to the middle line of the Udawatte Road; East Proceeding from the centre line of the Depa Ela which flows parallel to Udawatte Road towards Pothuarawa Road, thereafter from the centre of the road along the same line of the Depa Ela to the Eastern boundary of the Avarihena Wewa; then from the Southern boundary of the lake, across the centre line of Avarihena Road up to the point that it meets the Heen Ela; from there along the centre line of the Heen Ela in a South Westerly direction to the centre point of the end of Wewa road; from there onwards from the centre line of the Southern bank of Depa Ela to the centre point of the Hokandara – Thalawathugoda main Road; South From the last mentioned point in a line drawn along the centre line of the Hokandara – Thalawathugoda main road towards left bank of the Thalangama Tank on the centre point of the Depa Ela; West From there onwards from the point through the centre line of the Thalangama Tank towards the Northern direction of the left bank of the Thalangama Tank until it across the Wewa road and proceeds in a northerly manner from this point across the centre line of the Pothuarawa Road; from there from the centre line of the Depa Ela to the centre line of the Pottewela Anicut Road; from there onwards from the centre line of the Pottewela Anicut Road to the starting point. SCHEDULE II PERMITTED USES 1. The cultivation of paddy. 2. Fishing. 3. Nature trails. 4. Construction of towers for the observation of Birds. 5. An Environmental Educational Information centre and a sales outlet. 6. Construction of a Security Post SCHEDULE III CONDITIONS SUBJECT TO WHICH PERMITTED USES ARE TO BE CARRIED OUT a) Construction of security posts shall be constructed in limited numbers and shall be of a semi-permanent nature, always ensuring that the environment shall not be disturbed. b) Only the area alongside the Depa Ela and the mud bunds (niyara) of the paddy fields can be used for the purpose of Nature trails. c) Construction of bird observation towers shall be constructed in limited numbers and shall be of a semi-permanent nature, always ensuring that the environment shall not be disturbed. Trees existing within the area can be used for this purpose. d) Only traditional fishing activities are permitted within the environmental protection zone. No motor will be allowed therein. e) No barriers or activities which hinder the sustainability of the environmental protection zone will be permitted. Any barrier or activity so erected or carried out shall be forthwith remover or stopped by the CEA. f) Permitted uses shall be carried out in such a manner as not to disturb the general life pattern of life and the livelihood of the villagers. g) The permitted uses should be carried out in consultation with the Central Environmental Authority (CEA),the Urban Development Authority (UDA), the Agrarian Development Department(ADD), the Department of Irrigation (ID), the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation & Development Corporation (SLLR&DC), and the relevant Local Authorities and in keeping with the general standards applicable hereto. h) The prior approval of the CEA should be obtained for any development of any infrastructure facilities. i) If the permitted uses described in the Schedule II is a Prescribed project under the Part IV C of the National Environmental Act, approval should be obtained accordingly. j) If the proposed project is not prescribed under the Part IV C of the National Environmental Act , an Environment Assessment should be carried out (in accordance with provision of section10H of the National Environmental Act) for evaluation prior to granting the approval of the CEA. k) The report will be evaluated by an appropriate committee appointed by the CEA. l) A Monitoring committee will be appointed to monitor the project activities. m) An Administrative levy scheme will be prepared and adopted by the CEA, in order to process and evaluate the Project Proposal and Monitor the project activities.