The Environmental Foundation (Guarantee) Limited (EFL) has filed a writ application in the Court of Appeal, challenging what it described as blatant government-sanctioned violations inside Wilpattu National Park. The case seeks an urgent halt to religious festivals, construction, and unrestricted pilgrim access around the Pallekandal Church in Block V of the park.
EFL senior management told The Island that recent Cabinet-level decisions, including permitting large-scale monthly masses, installing tube wells, opening multiple access routes for vehicles, and constructing a new bridge in 2026, amounted to “legitimizing illegal activities in one of Sri Lanka’s most ecologically sensitive areas.”
“Successive governments have turned a blind eye, and now this administration is actively endorsing the destruction of Wilpattu,” an EFL spokesperson said. “This is not just unlawful under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance; it is a betrayal of the Supreme Court’s own undertakings. The government is effectively enabling the erosion of our oldest national park for political gain.”
The Foundation warned that forest clearance, infrastructure expansion, and unrestricted human presence are fragmenting habitats, disturbing elephants and leopards, and heightening human–wildlife conflict. “What is unfolding is nothing less than the commercialization of a protected sanctuary, driven by short-term interests at the expense of long-term national heritage,” the spokesperson stressed.
EFL also highlighted Wilpattu’s unique ecological and cultural importance, noting its Ramsar designation and archaeological significance. “This park is a jewel in Sri Lanka’s natural heritage. To compromise it for political expediency is reckless and irresponsible,” the statement said.
The petition calls on the Court of Appeal to quash unlawful approvals and direct authorities to enforce conservation laws, warning that unchecked activity would result in irreversible damage to ecosystems and wildlife.
EFL said it has no objection to legitimate religious observances but insisted that such activities must be regulated in strict compliance with the law. “The government cannot pick and choose which laws to enforce,” the spokesperson added. “Wilpattu’s future depends on principled governance, not political convenience.”
By Ifham Nizam ✍️
