Former Senior Professor of Geological Sciences at the University of Peradeniya, Athula Senaratne, said that removing all constructions in the hill country at elevations above 5,000 feet would have serious repercussions for the national economy and the tourism sector.
Speaking to the media, he noted that Nuwara Eliya town itself is located at an elevation of around 5,000 feet above sea level, and that the removal of the tea industry and other related economic activities would lead to severe consequences.
Prof. Senaratne suggested that, instead of such drastic measures, alternative strategies should be adopted to reduce the risk of landslides. He proposed using abandoned lands in the central hills for afforestation projects, with abandoned tea estates serving as pilot sites.
He also emphasised that feasibility studies focusing on soil conditions should be conducted before implementing afforestation projects, particularly in areas with large boulders or unstable terrain.
