Courts have ordered the police to provide immediate protection to a site where a rare Sri Lanka legume, or crudia zeylanica, tree has reportedly been buried.
The tree was cut down at Daraluwa in Veyangoda, saying it blocked work on the central expressway project under construction.
Gampaha additional magistrate Fatima Sahana Mahji issued the order to Bemmulla police yesterday (21).
The district forest officer has been ordered to unearth the tree once found.
The lawyer for the complainant, Ven. Udaasgiriye Samitha Thera, said the tree had been cut down secretly within a short period, with cabinet approval, in violation of an earlier court ruling.
The case will be taken up again on 24 July.
(Tony Karunanayake, Minuwangoda)
