By Ajith Lal Shantha Udaya BBC Sinhala Service

	Vaddas say the construction is a threat to birds animals and veddas existance

The chief of this indigenous community, Uruvarige Vanniyaleththo told the BBC Sinhala service that forest department officials prevented Veddas from entering their late leaders resting place in the Maduru Oya National Park.

"These officers did nothing to stop building a road through the nature reserve" he added.

Two miles through the reserve

The head of Sri Lanka’s first inhabitants claimed that the road construction work through the reserve will destroy its vegetation.

The reason to construct such a wide road connecting a small village is to cut the big trees in the Maduru Oya reserve Uruvarige Vanniyaleththo

“It is a threat to birds, animals and our own existence” he pointed out.

According to the head of Veddhas, the road which connects Padiyathalawa – Mahiyanganaya road with Kandagammana is going to be 30 feet wide.

Two miles of the road is going through the forest reserve.

“The reason to construct such a wide road connecting a small village is to cut the big trees in the Maduru Oya reserve” Vanniyaleththo said.

“I am not against the development of Sri Lanka, but all indigenous people are against the destruction of the natural reserves under the guise of development."

We are not aware

Speaking to BBC Sandeshaya, Deputy Minister of High Ways W. B Ekanayake said, “although, I am aware of the construction of this road I don’t know who is responsible for it”.

“I will have more details on Monday and I expect to speak to Media on Monday with more details”, He added.

Maduru Oya was declared a nature reserve by the Sri Lankan government in 1983.

Situated in the dry zone 300 k.m. away from Colombo and spread over 58849 hectares of land, Maduru Oya is home to several endemic bird species as well as other wild animals.