Minister calls for practical solutions to aid Meemure
– Minister K. D. Lal Kantha has urged the submission of scientific and practical proposals to improve access to areas affected by Cyclone Ditwah, with a particular focus on the remote Meemure region.The call comes amid criticism over a plan to reopen an old route through the Knuckles Reserve.
Addressing the controversy, the Minister questioned whether preserving World Heritage status should outweigh urgent humanitarian needs.“Now the World Heritage is in pieces. The flood destroyed the barrier built by the King, which was also a World Heritage site, but no one is talking about that,” he said.Minister Lal Kantha highlighted that cyclone damage has made reaching Meemure extremely challenging. “We are forced to reach the people of Meemure through a World Heritage site. Otherwise, we won’t be able to deliver food supplies for another month and a half,” he added.He also explained that the proposed route is an old path historically used by local villagers.
However, he acknowledged that the plan has drawn allegations that he and officials in Kandy District are damaging a protected site.
