Demise of environmentalist Piyal Parakrama

Among number of environmentalist Piyal was one of the leading person with his charismatic and controversial voice in protecting the environment. The news on his demise on the 3rd March 2010 was a shock to me.

I met Piyal soon after I joined the Environmental Foundation in 1990 as an environmental officer. Piyal was already an environmental campaigner with his background at the Young Zoologist Association. I remember, Dharman Wickramarathne, Sudharman Radaliayagoda, Piyal and myself attended a meeting in Puttalam against shrimp farming in the lagoon in that early days. Since then we have worked together against coal power plants, proposed garbage disposal in Meepe, Upper Kotmale, Kukule Ganga and many other environmental issues. I remember we had some differences on the approach to some issues but it was a common goal that we wanted to achieve.

We have an unfinished environmental struggle. His death will be great loss to the common citizens and the environmental movement which he served with his volunteer activism. He has offered more than he gained from the nature that he belongs and he loved. May you attain Nibbana!