By: Staff Writer
March 08, Colombo (LNW): Land Management Trust is to be established to address various challenges and inconsistencies surrounding the utilisation of Government lands across the country.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the establishment of this trust as land management in Sri Lanka appears to be all over the place.
Several ministries and Government departments appear to be responsible for State land management including for forests management, wildlife conservation area management, residual land management agriculture land management and tea, rubber and coconut land management.
At present, the Government owns around 82% of the total land area in the country, managed by various agencies tasked with protecting and controlling these lands, cabinet spoksman minister Bandula Gunawrdena said.
However, the absence of a unified approach has led to numerous issues in releasing Government land for investment purposes.
These challenges have hindered investment opportunities, potential for new industries, services and job creation.
The establishment of a dedicated mechanism with proper authority is considered essential to overcome these obstacles and create a conducive environment for investments
A Circular enabling Government to hand over forests to companies enforced’ on 9 November states that “In a blatant move of violating eco-conservation laws, the Government has issued a circular, 1/2020, enabling them to hand over lands to multinational companies and businessmen, by revoking the Circular ‘05/2001,’ ‘02/2006,’ ‘5/98’ issued for the protection of the remaining remnant forests for the acquisition of lands required for the National Physical Plan implemented till 2050.
This 82.25% of land belongs equally to the 22 million people of the country living now and the future generations yet to be born. This land is held in trust by all governments on behalf of both components of owners
A land policy therefore cannot benefit a few ministers and parliamentarians and their dependents, but the current and yet to be born Sri Lankans.
Neither can a land policy benefit a country other than Sri Lanka. Selling State land to foreigners will not benefit Sri Lanka. In fact, it will have a negative effect in the long term.
It is presumed that State lands include forest land, wildlife conservation lands, wildlife lands, agriculture land and estate land that belongs to the State, unproductive land distributed amongst these (probably what is termed residual land) and other classified lands. It is not clear whether temple, church, mosque and kovil land is included as State land.
