Sri Lanka, Sept. 16 -- Land clearing taking place in the Knuckles buffer zone

Sri Lankans will soon lose their opportunity to boast about the rich biodiversity the land once had. Ad hoc practices such as clearing protected areas, felling and burning down trees have put long established statutes into question. Therefore, even with laws and ordinances to protect the environment, political affiliation, power and money still stand above all. However, the depletion of forest cover will cause an irreversible damage in the long-run resulting in drying up of catchment areas, animals losing their habitats, mountainous areas being prone to landslides among others. Recently the Hanthana and Knuckles Mountain ranges made headlines with ad hoc land g...