Environmental Foundation Ltd. And Others v. Mahawali Authority Of Sri Lanka And Others – sllr 2010 volume 1 page 001

In the case between Environmental Foundation Ltd. and Others versus Mahawali Authority of Sri Lanka and Others, the court addressed the issue of whether the alienation of lands in the reservation area of the Victoria Reservoir by the Mahawali Authority constituted a violation of Article 12(1) of the Constitution. It was determined that the actions of the Mahawali Authority and its officials in granting permits for construction within the reserved lands were arbitrary and contravened applicable statutory frameworks and environmental guidelines. The findings emphasized the Public Trust Doctrine, relevant statutory provisions of the National Environmental Act, and the Mahawali Authority Act, establishing that such acts required strict adherence to environmental requirements and administrative