Wednesday Jan 21, 2026
Wednesday Jan 21, 2026
Wednesday, 21 January 2026 00:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Wildlife and Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka (WNPS) in a statement yesterday raised serious environmental and legal concerns regarding the recently commissioned wind power project on Mannar Island.
WNPS has called for urgent executive intervention to address patent violations of environmental law and the grave risks posed to one of Sri Lanka’s most ecologically sensitive regions.
In a letter addressed to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, WNPS highlighted that Mannar Island lies within the Central Asian Flyway, a globally recognised migratory bird corridor through which millions of birds pass annually. The island has been identified by national and international experts as a Key Biodiversity Area and a globally critical site for waterbirds, and includes several protected areas such as the Vankalai Sanctuary, Vedithalativu Nature Reserve, and the Adam’s Bridge Marine National Park.
WNPS emphasised that whilst it fully supports Sri Lanka’s transition to renewable energy and sustainable power generation, it has grave concerns over the location and siting of wind turbines on Mannar Island, which in an environmentally fragile area of global significance. According to WNPS, the project was implemented without obtaining the legally required approvals mandated under the National Environmental Act and the Coast Conservation and Coastal Resource Management Act.
The Society further noted that the official avifaunal study commissioned specifically for the project identified specific areas/zones as posing a “very high” risk to bird populations. Despite these warnings, wind turbines have reportedly been installed in locations identified as prohibited or “high-risk”, heightening the threat to migratory and endangered bird species.
WNPS has also raised concerns about the increased flood vulnerability of Mannar Island, a flood-prone area where local communities have reportedly experienced heightened flooding following the construction of wind power infrastructure. The Society stressed that the continuation of the project in its present proposed location poses serious risks to local livelihoods, particularly fishing communities.
The Wildlife and Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka has called on the President to take urgent steps to review the legality of the project, ensure accountability for any violations of environmental law, and implement immediate corrective measures to protect Mannar’s unique ecosystems and affected communities.
