The recent landslide devastation triggered by Cyclone Ditwah across Sri Lanka’s Central Highlands has renewed urgent debate over the region’s environmental fragility and economic importance. A high-level meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat on 29 April, chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, reviewed the worsening ecological crisis and the government’s proposed institutional response.
The Central Highlands, a critical upper-catchment zone, experienced severe slope failures and soil instability following intense rainfall associated with the cyclone. These landslides destroyed homes, disrupted transport corridors, and damaged agricultural land that supports tea cultivation and vegetable farming—two pillars of rural livelihoods and export earnings. Preliminary assessments indicate that both direct physical damage and indirect economic losses, such as supply chain disruptions and reduced agricultural output, could significantly strain regional GDP contributions in affected districts.
Officials at the meeting emphasised that the disaster was not merely a weather event but the result of long-term environmental degradation. Deforestation, unregulated construction on steep slopes, and inadequate watershed management have all contributed to increased vulnerability. Experts also pointed out that hydrological imbalance in the upper catchments has intensified flood risks downstream, affecting both rural and urban economies.
In response, the government has accelerated plans to establish a dedicated authority for the Central Highlands. The proposed body would oversee environmental restoration, regulate land use in sensitive zones, and coordinate disaster risk reduction strategies. It is also expected to play a central role in national water security, given that most major rivers originate in this region.
However, the proposal has raised questions about institutional overlap and implementation capacity. Critics argue that Sri Lanka already has multiple agencies dealing with environment, forestry, and disaster management, and adding another authority could create bureaucratic duplication unless roles are clearly defined. Supporters counter that existing institutions lack the integration and enforcement power needed to address complex, cross-sectoral ecological threats.
Economically, the stakes are high. The Central Highlands contribute significantly to agriculture, hydropower generation, and tourism. Any long-term instability in the region could ripple across food prices, energy supply, and foreign exchange earnings. The cyclone damage has therefore reinforced the argument that environmental protection is not just an ecological concern but a macroeconomic necessity.
By a Special Correspondent