The wildlife department has taken steps to issue special identity cards for the indigenous people (veddas).
This step has been taken to make it easier for the indigenous people to enter the forests and carry their living without hindrance from the resources of the forest.
Under the first phase of this project, arrangements have been made to provide identity cards to the indigenous people living in Dambana and Rathugala.
This was informed in response to a petition submitted to the Human Rights Commission by Rathugala indigenous people’s leader Sudavannila Aththo.
Only the people recommended by the community leader are entitled to these special ID cards.
