Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa said President Maithripala Sirisena, in his capacity as the Minister of Environment, should step up against the ongoing deforestation in Wilpattu. 

"President Maithripala Sirisena needs to step up as Minister of Environment and urgently address the #Wilpattu problem before it escalates any further. Not just the #environment that’s at stake, it’s also bordering on a critical social issue for Sri Lanka and  the Government ought to govern more responsibly, " Rajaapksa tweeted last night. 

Rajapaksa's remarks, however, drew criticism from a section of social media activists who said the deforestation started when the previous government was in power. 

Minister Rishad Bathiudeen who is at the centre of the Wilpattu controversy also served as a minister in the Rajapaksa government. 

However, President Sirisena yesterday gave an additional Cabinet position to Bathiudeen as the Minister of Skills Development and Vocational Training. The ministry was previously held by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.