Residents of the Yodha Ela reserve in the Konduruwawa area in the Elahera Divisional Secretariat Division allege that a large number of 150 to 200-year-old Kumbuk trees have been cut down.
The deforestation was carried out, claiming a new road and a bridge had to be built to carry machinery for the Upper Ela-Hera project under the Moragahakanna Reservoir Project.
Many valuable trees, including Welan, Kumbuk, Kone and Mora have been cut down. The Chairman of the Elahera Pradeshiya Sabha Janaka Nalin Kumara says that he did not know anything until such massive deforestation took place. However, the residents of the area point out that this statement cannot be accepted, claiming that it is a statement made to save himself due to the public protest against deforestation.
