Sri Lanka, Jan. 16 -- The deputy minister of Mahaweli development and environment Ajith Maannapperuma has confirmed that media reports published stating that a road was being constructed within Sinharaja forest, destroying bio-diversity, was in fact false.

The deputy minister made the statement at a media briefing following an area inspection yesterday.

Environment organisations recently charged that a project to construct a new road within the forest, was being implemented

In response to this charge, the deputy minister along with officials from the forest conservation department and a team of journalists yesterday

engaged in an observation tour to determine if there was any truth to the charge.

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