The Land and Agriculture Reforms Movement alleges that around 1,000 acres of forest land along the boundary of the Hambantota elephant management reserve have been illegally cleared for large-scale solar power projects involving 17 companies, and that state institutions may have been misled or influenced through bribery.

Environmental activist Sajeeva Chamika of the Land and Agriculture Reforms Movement points out that approval granted to two unregistered companies, as well as to multiple companies under a single board of directors, supports these allegations.

He notes that these projects are being constructed in the Sinukgala, Orukengala and Kapapuwewa areas within the Hambantota Divisional Secretariat, along the boundary of the Hambantota elephant management reserve, which are key habitats for wild elephants.

The movement further argues that it is suspicious that the Sustainable Energy Authority, the Mahaweli Authority and the Central Environmental Authority have remained silent while such environmental destruction is taking place.

It also states that a 150 MW solar power project, described as a USD 150 million investment, is being implemented by a group of companies operating under the name “Hambantota 150 MW Solar PV Project – Group of Companies”.

According to the organisation, this is not a legally registered company structure, and it is said to comprise 12 companies.

Among them, Geneco Pvt Ltd, Solargen Pvt Ltd, Stallion Energy Solar Pvt Ltd, Elephant Power International Pvt Ltd, Madunagala Agrico Pvt Ltd, Leisure Creation Pvt Ltd, Talna Solar Pvt Ltd, and Greenline Solar Pvt Ltd are reportedly all controlled by the same board of directors.

The directors named include Palavinnage Charana Mitsuka Kumarathunga, Dulanga Kumarathunga, Madhusanka Purawaran Fernando, and a Chinese national identified as Liu Kai.

It is further claimed that this Chinese national, who serves as a director in five companies, is the principal investor in the overall project.

Charana Kumarathunga, who serves on the bo