The Kandy Municipal Council met on Friday the 27th March, 2015 to propose a road through the historic Udawattekele Forest Sanctuary [The Island Newspaper 29.03.15]. The road is proposed to connect the Tennekumbura road at Buwelikada. This proposal is an alternative to the road adjoining Sri Dalada Maligawa which is currently closed for vehicular traffic. While all other roads islandwide have been reopened since the change of regime in January 2015, FEO understands that a senior monk of the Sri Dalada Maligawa has objected to the reopening of this road.

This road was originally proposed in the 1970's but was stopped by the Government of the Late Hon. J.R. Jayewardene as a result of a campaign headed by the Late Dr. Nihal Karunaratne. According to the Kandy Municipal Council the renewed proposal for this road, was made by Minister of Plantation Industries, Lakshman Kiriella.

Udawattekelle is closely linked with the history of Sri Lanka as it was a Royal Forest during the rule of the Kings of Kandy. Designated as a forest reserve in 1856, Udawattekelle became a Sanctuary in 1938, under the purview of the Forest Department. This forest, in addition to its historic value has tremendous environmental value as it is home to a wide range of flora and fauna, including endemics like the Pale fronted Torque Macaque, Golden Palm Civet, Mouse Deer, Slender Loris and the Dusky palm Squirrel. 

Udawattekele Sanctuary also provides a vital watershed and lung for the City of Kandy in addition to its  great recreational and educational value for the Citizens of our Island. However, a road slicing through the forest and the resultant urban traffic will lead to a rapid degradation and eventual destruction of this forest.  

The Federation of Environmental Organizations (FEO) of Sri Lanka trusts that Your Excellency will see the great value of preserving the multiple heritage that this forest enshrines and over rule the objections to an existing road being reopened. In the event of this being impossible, please consider alternate routes which have been proposed to save this valuable forest. We appeal to you not to revert to an era of unsustainable development in the style of the regime you succeeded.