Geologists say sand excavation in the North won't affect environment

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 29 July 2003, 20:39 GMT]
Excavating sand from the coastal areas from Manalkadu to Kudaththanai in Vadamarachchi east in the Jaffna peninsula would not affect the environment, said two geologists of the Mineral Sands Corporation of Sri Lanka in a report to the Jaffna District Government Agent Tuesday.

Geologists Mr.Anil Peiris and Mr.Uthaya de Silva handed over their report to the Jaffna GA, Mr.S.Pathmanathan, Tuesday, district secretariat sources said.

An Environmental Vigilante group of the area has stopped the excavation of sand from Kudathanai to Manalkadu area about 2 km from the shore of the Vadamarachchi east for building construction purposes by the public and private sector. The group said the removal of sand would cause sea erosion and affect the environment of the area.

However, a team of officials from the Mineral Sands Corporation visited the Vadamarachchi coast from Manalkadu to Kudaththanai and conducted surveys in the area.

Based on its study the Sri Lankan government team submitted a report to the Jaffna GA Tuesday morning, recommending the removal of sand from the particular seashore. The report said the removal of sand would not affect the environment of the area, sources said.

The team of experts said it would submit a detailed report regarding the sand resources in the peninsula and whether the sand found in the seashore and elsewhere is suitable for construction purposes. The team in its report said that the sand found in the Vadamarachchi seashore could be used for the production of glass, district secretariat sources said.