Outrage in Mannar over tree felling for another wind power project

Mannar residents were left outraged this month as trees integral to wind power generation in the Mannar lowland area were uprooted and discarded during a coastal road reconstruction project.

The incident, compounded by the excavation and dumping of sand from nearby dunes, has reignited longstanding tensions over environmental degradation in the region, particularly concerning wind power developments.

Local leaders and residents denounced the indiscriminate felling of trees and the destruction of sensitive coastal landscapes. These trees not only stabilize the ecosystem but also contribute to wind patterns necessary for sustainable wind power generation in the region.

The Mannar Citizens' Committee and local priests were alerted to the situation, prompting their immediate intervention. Chairman of the Mannar Citizens' Committee, Rev. Markus Adigalar, along with other clergy, visited the site and successfully halted the construction activities. Mannar Divisional Secretary M. Pradeep also inspected the scene, where JCB machines were observed uprooting trees and excavating sand dunes—an act that has sparked condemnation from locals.

This incident is not isolated. For years, Mannar residents have opposed large-scale wind power projects, raising concerns about their environmental and social impacts. Private companies eager to exploit Mannar's coastal winds have faced stiff resistance from local communities, who fear that the projects prioritize profit over ecological preservation and community well-being.

Environmentalists have also sounded the alarm about the degradation of Mannar’s unique coastal and lowland ecosystems. The destruction of sand dunes and vegetation not only disrupts local biodiversity but also threatens the stability of wind currents crucial for energy generation.

Local residents have accused companies of ignoring their concerns and sidestepping proper environmental assessments. In several cases, the development of wind power infrastructure has been criticized for its lack of transparency and disregard for the ecological and cultural significance of the Mannar region.

Despite repeated requests by the Tamil residents and civil society organizations in Mannar, the government under the then Sri Lankan president Ranil Wickremesinghe and present Anura Kumara Dissanayake continue to turn a blind eye to the ongoing environmental destruction. Last year, Tamil residents protested and demanded swift action to halt the Adani Wind Power Project. At the time, the Mannar Socio and Economic Development Organization (MSEDO), in a letter addressed to the Director General of the Central Environmental Authority, found that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the project did not deal with the impact of the project while in its 2nd phase. 

In a letter signed by J. Yardsan Figurado, the group says they oppose any further installation of wind turbines causing irreversible damage to nature, and any such reports that fail to detail mitigation attempts should be considered “questionable and void”. 

Meanwhile, environmental conservation Professor Sampath Seneviratne highlighted the critical role that Mannar played in the migratory patterns of birds.

“Mannar serves as a vital global hub for millions of migratory birds, making it one of the most important destinations along the Central Asian Flyway,” Prof. Seneviratne stated. “The proposed wind power project threatens to disrupt these migratory patterns, putting countless bird species globally at risk.”

The Mannar Wind Power Project, spearheaded by Adani Green Energy Sri Lanka, aims to use the Mannar region’s resources to generate 250 MW of energy. It is unclear if the most recent attempt to clear the land was for this project.