Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2017-11-14

Declaration of Mahaweli System 'E' as a special area of Authority of the Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority

- Around 20,000 families are permanently residing for over 40 years in the area situated in the Minipe Canal Left Bank to the left side of the eastern boundary of Victoria, Randenigala and Rantambe Sanctuaries. It has been identified that it is appropriate to vest the development and administrative functions of the area with the Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority enabling the implementation of a development plan pertaining to the area and for this purpose, the limits of the wildlife reserves have to be re-demarcated.

Accordingly, the joint proposal made by H.E. the President Maithripala Sirisena, in his capacity as the Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment, and Hon. Gamini Jayawickrema Perera, the Minister of Sustainable Development and Wildlife, to declare the area identified belonging to the Minipe and Wilgamuwa Divisional Secretariat Divisions simultaneous to the Minipe Canal Left Bank Rehabilitation Special Development Project as Mahaweli System 'E Zone' by a Gazette Notification, was approved by the Cabinet.