Hambanthota: Sri Lankan government yesterday abandoned the proposed project to build the second international airport in the country highlighting certain concerns raised by environmentalists and paddy farmers in the Weeravila area. The government announced that considering an appeal made by the people of the Weeravila area to shift the proposed international airport to another location, the Minister of Ports and Aviation, Chamal Rajapaksa has directed the relevant authorities to divert the intended project to Maththala area in the Hambantota district. However political opponents say the government has failed to find a suitable investor to finance the project which is expected to cost over seven billion rupees. The project was launched with an extravagant ceremony held under the auspices of President Mahinda Rajapaksa laying the foundation stone on 7th July 2006. Since then few earth moving machines were seen engaged in construction at the site for few months amid the protest by the paddy farmers in the area. Central Environment Authority (CEA) also claimed that the airport may be harmful to the migrant birds in the nearby Bundala National Park. They speculate that the government is tying to find excuses to abandon the project altogether and the protest campaign by the farmers in the area asking the government to stop the project is orchestrated by the government. The government says the residents of the area who are mostly farmers have informed the Minister that paddy fields and other lands in Weeravila area cannot be cultivated due to the scheduled construction of the international airport in Weeravila area. They have also notified the Minister that the project would cause considerable damage to the environment. The construction of the proposed International Airport is expected to generate over 10,000 jobs in the industrial sector. The project is also expected to spur development in the Southern Province, along with the Hambantota Port project.