News
Govt. to use GPS to track threatened extents of country’s environmentally sensitive areas
Environment Ministry Secretary, Dr. Anil Jasinghe receieves a book from CEJ Executive Director Heamantha Withanage
By Ifham Nizam
The government would shortly scale up the monitoring of the country’s entire environmentally sensitive area through GPS to find out all threatened extents, Environment Ministry Secretary, Dr. Anil Jasinghe said
Dr. Jasinghe, making the guest speech at the launch of a book titled `Nature in Therapy’ published by the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) at the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute, stressed that co-management model was was under study, which would be concluded within two months.
Dr. Jasinghe said that air pollution was one of the major issues in the region and the good news was that South Asian Co-operation Environment Programme (SACEP) headquarters was now based in Sri Lanka with the support of World Bank and other institutions.
He also said that Sri Lanka was among better countries in the region when it came to air pollution, though there were no boundaries to the problem, but being an island nation the country was so far spared from its harsh effects.
Dr. Jasinghe added that next year the government would launch a clean air project with public participation.
CEJ Executive Director Heamatha Wthanage said that in 2020 they setup an online survey to get the public opinion about the situation which was responded by over 300 persons from diverse backgrounds.
“This encouraged us to develop the study further. As a result we have requested various governmental bodies to provide the data which they collect though various monitoring programmes, including sales data,” he said.
Withanage said that the Western Province Waste Management Authority provided waste generation data, and the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) also provided air quality data during that period. Forest Department and Department of Wildlife Conservation also made available the data related to forest and wildlife impacts.
However, despite their requests under the Right to Information law, the Water Supply and Drainage Board, Central Environmental Authority, Ceylon Petroleum Corporation and the Ceylon Electricity Board failed to share data although they responded to the RTI requests. “It is pathetic that those agencies don’t make available such information although they use public funds to generate such information,” he added.
Dr. Pathmalal Manage of the University of Sri Jayawardenepura, too joined hands with the CEJ to compile this report. As a result, they have agreed to conduct new data collection along the Kelani River which will make this study complete in a successful manner.
The Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Dr. Harini Amarasuriya is on an official visit to Paris, France to participate in the high-level segment of the International Expert Conference on ’An Integrated and Sustainable Approach to Safeguarding the World Heritage Property of the Sacred City of Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka and Associated Living Heritage’ which was to be held at UNESCO Headquarters today [Tuesday 1 April], with the participation of the Director-General of UNESCO Audrey Azoulay.
The Conference, organized by UNESCO in partnership with Sri Lanka, brings together leading international experts to discuss sustainable strategies for the conservation of Anuradhapura, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of immense cultural and historical significance.
On the sidelines of the Conference, the Prime Minister is also scheduled to meet senior interlocutors of the French Government to discuss bilateral cooperation and areas of mutual interest.
The Delegation of the Prime Minister includes the Minister of Buddhasasana Religious and Cultural Affairs, Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
The Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) BUNGO and ETAJIMA arrived at the port of Colombo on a goodwill visit this morning (01 Apr 25).
The visiting ships were welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy in compliance with naval traditions.
The 141m long JMSDF BUNGO is an Uraga-Class Minesweeper Tender commanded by Commander TANAKA Koji and the ship is manned by a crew of 125.
Meanwhile, JMSDF Etajima, a 65-meter-long Minesweeper, is under the command of Commander Oda Takayuki and operates with a crew of 54 personnel.
During the stay in the island, crew members of the ships will explore some tourist attractions within the city of Colombo. The ships are scheduled to set sail from Colombo on 04 Apr.
“You and your families will be eliminated”
By Norman Palihawadane and Hemantha Randun
A full-scale investigation has been launched to track down an underworld character, ‘Navy Dinesh,’ a key accomplice of Ganemulle Sanjeewa, for issuing death threats over the phone to three police officers, including the Gampaha HQI, Crime Branch OIC, of the same police station, and others.
Navy Dinesh is believed to have fled the country.
According to police sources, threats were issued following the arrest of Navy Dinesh’s father and brother in connection with a drug trafficking case.
Phone analysis reports have confirmed that the calls originated from Dubai and France.
Following the murder of Ganemulle Sanjeewa, Navy Dinesh assumed leadership of the underworld gang he had previously been involved with.
Navy Dinesh contacted the Gampaha HQI, the OIC of the Crime Branch, and the investigating police constable, and threatened to kill them and their family members. “You and your families will be eliminated,” he said.
A special police team had been assigned to investigate the matter, and a report has been submitted to the courts, police sources said.
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