The Mahaweli Authority will take action against encroachers active in Matale.
Two hundred encroachers had carried out illicit activities at forest reserves in Bowatenna and Kandalama, as well as localities near the Dambulu Oya and Kala Wewa
Illegal tourist hotels had also been set up in such lands, a Mahaweli Authority spokesperson said.
Resident farmers said that their cultivations were ruined due to the actions of such culprits as garbage had accumulated in reservoirs.
They urged authorities to address the issue immediately and arrest encroachers.