• There had been a public uproar against the move because a lot of people in Wattala, Ja-Ela and Negombo were to be affected

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa issued instruction for the exclusion of areas with people’s dwellings when acquiring the lands to increase the extent of the Muthurajawela wetland , State Minister Nimal Lansa said.  

Mr. Lansa , as a Government Minister , spoke in Parliament against the Gazette notification for the acquisition of 4,400 hectares of land to increase the extent of the wetland .  
There had been a public uproar against the move because a lot of people in Wattala, Ja-Ela and Negombo were to be affected.  

A discussion was held yesterday with the participation of Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera , Forest Conservation Minister C.B. Ratnayake and other officials .  

Mr. Lansa who also attended the meeting said there was no need to panic since the President agreed to exclude areas where people were living and said that a new Gazette notification will be issued later. 

• A discussion was held yesterday with the participation of Finance  Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera ,  Forest Conservation Minister C.B. Ratnayake and other officials