Sri Lanka, March 20 -- An illegal mechanised gem mining operation is taking place on a private land, located on the border of Sannan Dola, near the entrance to the main forest and the elephant corridor in Botiyathenna area of Sinharaja in Dolekanda Grama Niladhari Division. This area comes under the control of the Kalawana Divisional Secretariat in Ratnapura District.

The key figure behind this questionable operation is a businessman from Rakwana, who is coordinating the mining activities. He played a significant role in the rise of the National People's Power and in the election of an individual to a prominent state institute. Leveraging his political connections and financial cloud, this person influences the National Gem and Jeweller...