News
Environment Ministry and Tokyo Cement to plant 167,500 kumbuk and bamboo saplings
On the banks of Mahaweli River
by Ifham Nizam
The Environment Ministry and Tokyo Cement Company on Thursday signed an agreement to plant 167,500 kumbuk and bamboo saplings on the banks of Mahaweli River after a recent Cabinet paper recommended the proposal.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will focus on planting bamboo and kumbuk saplings on both sides of the Mahaweli, the longest river in Sri Lanka.
Speaking at the event, Tokyo Cement Managing Director. R. S. Gnanam said: ” We have previously supported a number of environmental programs. We implemented many projects especially for the protection of mangroves and their cultivation. We are pleased to work with the Ministry of Environment to protect the Mahaweli River. “Tokyo Cement will continue to contribute to the protection of the environment in the country”.
Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said: “We are implementing a program to curb river erosion as well as designate river bank conservation zones. This marks the beginning of the program”.
The total river basin of the Mahaweli River is 10,448 square kilometers. The largest irrigation projects and agricultural zones in the country are operating under the Mahaweli River Development Project. Under this there are several major irrigation projects including Victoria, Randenigala, Rantambe, Polgolla, Bowatenna, Kotmale and Moragahakanda projects.
An estimated 167,500 bamboo and kumbuk plants will be planted under this project (20 percent bamboo and 80 percent kumbuk).
The project will be launched under the title “Iwuru Rakina Pawuru” as the first large scale tree planting project in the history of Sri Lanka.
The government will not inject funds into the project as Tokyo Cement Company is the full sponsor, a Ministry official said.
Additional Secretary to the Ministry R. M. R. Rupasinghe and other officials were also present.
It has been reported that former Inspector General of Police (IGP) C.D. Wickramaratne has been found dead at his residence in Athurugiriya this morning (17)
it is suspected that he may have taken his own life.
A heated argument broke out between Jaffna District MP Archchuna Ramanathan and Fisheries Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar during the Kilinochchi District Coordination Committee meeting held yesterday (16).
A video footage of the incident shows the MP and the Minister engaging in a heated verbal exchange, following which a physical confrontation appeared to develop when the Minister attempted to grab files reportedly in the possession of MP Ramanathan.
“If you lay a hand on me, I’ll lay a hand on you too… got it?” Ramanathan is heard telling the Minister during the exchange.
Police and officials present at the meeting intervened to prevent the situation from escalating further.
The circumstances that led to the confrontation were not immediately clear.
Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith has filed an intervening petition before the Court of Appeal in connection with a petition filed by former head of the State Intelligence Service, Major General (Retired) Suresh Sallay, challenging his arrest and detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act over investigations into the Easter Sunday terror attacks.
The Cardinal has sought permission from the court to make submissions in relation to Sallay’s petition and requested that it be dismissed.
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