CEJ had filed a case against the Minister of Wildlife and Forest Conservation, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and seven other respondents seeking to address the critical issues concerning the Wattegama-Kebiliththa Forest Reserve situated in the Monaragala District. A group of people encroach the forest in Wattegama-Kebiltta nearly 37,500 hectares of the Kebiliththa Forest Reserve have been lost to deforestation. Moreover, the large scale illegal chena cultivators used to threaten the ground level officials while they were doing their duty and unlawfully detaining these forest officers. The primary objectives of initiating this legal action were to enforce the law by prosecuting individuals involved in illegal activities, including unauthorised clearing and farming within the Wattegama-Kebiliththa Forest Reserve and obtain protection and assistance for reforestation efforts and hold State officials accountable for their perceived failure to perform statutory duties in safeguarding the forest reserve.

In a recent development to this case, when the case was heard on 19 September 2023, the Deputy Solicitor General representing the Forest Department had expressed a commitment to take steps to conserve the forest reserve area and prevent any further forest clearings and illegal encroachments. Accordingly, the appellate bench ordered the government lawyer to file a motion containing conservation steps before the court on October 16, 2023. However, despite the authorities pledging before the Court of Appeal that illegal activities, including unauthorised clearing and farming within the Wattegama-Kebiliththa Forest Reserve will be stopped, significant damage to the reserve is still being carried out using approximately 40 tractors by the communities. As a result, Letters of Demand have been sent to the Minister of Wildlife and the Inspector General of Police to stop this damage.

Currently, the Monaragala Divisional Forest Officer informed us that in order to get actions against the perpetrators/Illegal encroachers they always referred the case filed by CEJ. On 16th October 2023, the Counsel appearing for the respondents requested to extend the time period to file the report indicating the steps they have taken to protect the Kebiliththa Forest. The application of the State Counsel was allowed on 30th November 2023 and respondents were directed to file the motion before the next hearing date. The case is fixed for arguments on 31st of May 2024.