SC halts gazette altering Vidataltivu Nature Reserve boundaries

The Supreme Court issued an interim order yesterday suspending the recent gazette notification by Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation Minister Pavithradevi Wanniarachchi, which proposed altering the boundaries of the Vidataltivu Nature Reserve.

This order responds to a fundamental rights application filed by the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS). The contested gazette, issued in May, aimed to degazette a portion of the Vidataltivu Nature Reserve to facilitate the establishment of an aquaculture industrial park in the area.

The gazette indicated that the area specified in its appendix would no longer be part of the Vidataltivu Nature Reserve. The proposed aquaculture industrial park is intended for farming various species, including marine finfish, crabs, and exotic shrimp, through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), projected to generate $ 1.3 billion for the Government.

WNPS’s legal challenge argued that the Minister’s decision, as detailed in Extraordinary Gazette No. 2383/05 dated 6 May 2024, was illegal, threatened conservation efforts, and lacked proper transparency and due process. 

The petition emphasised the ecological importance of the area, especially its mangroves and seagrass.

The Vidataltivu Nature Reserve, one of Sri Lanka’s largest marine protected areas, includes extensive mangrove-covered land and a significant portion of the Indian Ocean.

After considering WNPS’s arguments, the Supreme Court issued interim orders to stay the Minister’s directive and maintain the reserve’s status quo as of the petition date. The Court also suspended the operation and validity of the gazette notification.

Respondents in the case include Minister Pavithradevi Wanniarachchi, senior officials from the Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation Ministry, the Department of Wildlife Conservation, and several other Government agencies.

Representing WNPS before the Supreme Court were Sanjeewa Jayawardena PC, along with counsels Dilumi de Alwis, Revan Weerasinghe, and Rukshan Senadheera.