It has come to light that an organized group is illegally excavating and removing sand from privately-owned lands in the Palai area of the Kilinochchi district.
According to local police officers, the smugglers continue their operations despite repeated warnings and orders from law enforcement. They blatantly defy police instructions and persist with their unauthorized activities.
The Alipalai–Palai region was a stronghold of the LTTE during the final stages of Sri Lanka’s civil war. During that period, the area was heavily mined, and even today, efforts are ongoing to clear the remaining landmines. As a result, the conditions necessary for civilians to return and resettle on their own land have yet to be fully restored.
Recent observations indicate that by the time the mine clearance is completed and these lands are officially handed back to the rightful owners, they will no longer be receiving viable farmland or residential property. Instead, the areas are being transformed into large pits and reservoirs due to relentless and unauthorized sand mining.
During a recent visit to the location, an individual wearing a Sri Lanka Police T-shirt stated that the smugglers are employing numerous informants and spies to facilitate their operations and evade detection.
These privately-owned lands, situated near the scenic Kilali Lagoon, have already been severely affected. Vast quantities of sand—amounting to hundreds of thousands of cubic meters—have been extracted and removed.
Travelers along the land route in the area can visibly see large piles of sand collected at multiple sites, serving as evidence of the ongoing illegal activity.
