Kurupanawella Gemidiriya Peoples Company at Balangoda was honoured with the Green Award in the Water Resource sector (Institutional Level) at the National Environment Day competition organized by the Central Environment Authority and the Ministry of Environment.
Kurupanawela is a small village of 111 households at Imbulpe (Balangoada) in the Ratnapura district with a population of 494. The majority of the people are poor and they earn their living by agriculture and working as casual laborers in tea plantations.
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| The village was endowed with natural resources and according to the senior citizens of the village they had abundant water flowing through a stream in the small forest. |
| Green award won by Kurupanawala village |
| This water stream nourished the paddy fields and farm lands in the village and provided drinking water for the people in 111 families in Kurupanawela, 120 families in Pagalovita village and 70 families in the near by tea estate. |
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However, with the growing population this cohabitation with nature was obstructed and tea smallholdings started to invade the forest in all directions. As the forest started to slender the water level of the stream started to diminish causing various socio-economic issues. But they did not have the strength to prevent it or influence responsible authorities to safeguard the forest though they perfectly new that their lifeline was under threat. |
| Forest reservation with high bio diversity |
| In 2007, the Ministry of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development introduced the Gemidiriya project in the Kurupanawala village. The project set up a strong village organization, a Company with over 80% of the community participation responsible for the all aspects of the village development. First time the people got the decision making power on the development of the village. |
| In the village development plan prepared by the community the first priority was given to the conservation of the forest, which covers around four & half hectares today. They started to negotiate with the relevant authorities as a strong institution and convinced the officials that immediate action has to be taken to conserve the forest. |
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| The Divisional Secretary supported them by surveying and demarcation of the boundaries of the forest. |
Kurupanawala farmland fed by springs emanating from the forest reserve |
| Then they sought assistance of the Forest Department officials in the area and got concrete poles for the fence. They used Rs.159, 860, for the infrastructure development fund and they received 116,255 from Gemidiriya, Rs.14, 535 community cash contribution and community labor contribution valued at Rs.29,070 for the entire conservation effort. In addition to the physical protection of the forest the project includes replanting and awareness programs for the community on cohabitation with nature in carrying out their livelihoods, especially in agriculture. |
| This small forest has rich bio diversity with 78 plant species, 46 animal (exclude birds, serpents & fish species), 34 Bird species, 20 serpent species and 14 fresh water species. Today the forest has started to regain its life and the community is hopeful their future would be bright. |
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