The government has decided to provide five thousand (5000) hectares of land in the Monaragala, Kotiagala, and Kabilitta areas for farming on a temporary basis, the President’s Media Division (PMD) reported.
A discussion was held in this regard at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (01) under the patronage of the President’s Senior Adviser on National Security and Chief of Presidential Staff Sagala Rathnayake.
The discussion focussed on the utilization of land in the Monaragala, Kotiyagala, and Kabilitta areas for farming to face the food crisis in the future.
According to the PMD, currently, around 8000 hectares of land in the Monaragala, Kotiyagala, and Kabilitta areas owned by the Forest Department have been reserved for reforestation.
A decision was taken during the meeting to commence reforestation activities immediately in the 3000 hectares where saplings have been prepared for the said areas.
The issue of the remaining 5000 hectares of land to be distributed among farmers temporarily for cultivation until the necessary facilities for reforestation were prepared was also discussed at length.
The meeting also focussed on the possibilities of releasing a certain extent of land for cattle rearing on a temporary basis.
President’s Senior Adviser Sagala Ratnayake advised the Forest Conservation Department to seek the advice of the Attorney General to resolve the legal issues that may arise in carrying out these activities and instructed heads of all related line institutions accordingly. (NewsWire)