Cabinet approval had been granted to remove the Pandu Karanda tree ( Crudia Zeylanica) located in Daraluwa, Veyangoda and was in the centre of a controversy as it stood in the way of the Central Expressway project, Transport and Highways Minister Bandula Gunawardena said today (11).
The tree was removed yesterday (10) despite campaigns by environmentalists earlier.
Minister Gunawardena said if they were to change the route of the expressway – Kadawatha – Mirigama section, it would have cost Rs 15 billion more.
He said he had done an indepth study and he received reports that 12 other trees which are over 40 years old as well as 25 trees with a height of 12 – 15 feet have been found in this area.
He also added that a programme is in place to grow 200 such plants instead of the tree that was felled.
After presenting these details to the Cabinet, approval was granted to remove it, the minister said.
The species, known as the Sri Lanka Legume (Crudia zelanica) has been listed as a Critically Endangered species in the National Red Data List published by the Ministry of Environment in 2021, environmentalists point out.
In a Facebook post, prominent environmentalist – Mr. Sajeewa Chamikara has stated that the Minister as well as officials of the Road Development Authority should be directly held responsible for the illegal felling of this tree.
