Sri Lanka, Aug. 6 -- A suspect who pleaded guilty of setting fire to the Seethaeliya forest reserve in Kandapola was fined Rs. 40,000 and ordered to pay compensation of Rs.403,509.22 per hectare of the damage by Nuwara Eliya Magistrate Buddhika Harshani Dharmadasa yesterday(05).

He had been arrested and produced in court by the forest conservators in Nuwara Eliya.

The suspect Mohamed Farook Mohamed (48) was a resident of Nuwara Eliya.

Forest Conservation Officials told court that the suspect who entered the forest reserve onl July 21 illegally and set fire to it for pleasure. They stated that they put out the fire that spread over a vast area with great difficulty and arrested the suspect.

Nuwara Eliya District Forest Conservator Para...