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Sri Lanka replanting bid begins after minister is held liable for deforestation by Malaka Rodrigo on 28 February 2021 Sri Lanka’s Forest Department has begun a 1 billion rupee ($5 million) program to reforest part of the Wilpattu Forest Complex, following a court ruling that ordered a top government official to pay for the effort. The government had declared the area a protected forest reserve in 2012, but the following year approved the development there of settlements for people displaced by the country’s civil war. Environmental groups said the process, and subsequent forest clearing, was illegal and took the issue to court in 2015; the ruling was handed down in November 2020, with the minister responsible for the resettlement program, found liable.

Sri lankaWilpattu national parkSri lanka generalNorth westernNorth centralSri lankansSri lankanKutadanta suttaBhagya wickramasingheRishad bathiudeenLanka idpsHemantha withanageRavindranath dabareKokila konasingheSri lanka armyUniversity of peradeniya