News
Over 100 dead marine animals washed ashore
By Ifham Nizam
More than 150 dead marine animals affected by the MV X-Press Pearl accident, have beached, officials and environmentalists say.
By yesterday bodies of 100 turtles, 15 dolphins, three whales and scores of sea birds and fish species, had been beached.
“We found five dead turtles and two dolphins in Trincomalee on 21 June alone. We continue to receive reports that dead marine animals are being beached everyday, particularly from the Western Coast,” a senior official said.
On Saturday, a dead whale with burn injuries was washed ashore on the Musali Karadikuli beach in Mannar. Officials said it was about 12 feet long.
However, Environmentalist Hemantha Withanage said that the Wildlife Department Conservation was trying to downplay the number of deaths.
The Sri Lanka Biodiversity Conservation and Research Circle, Convener Supun Lahiru Prakash yesterday wrote to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, urging him to look at the investigations being carried out by the Department of Wildlife on the impact.
“Dead marine animals such as dolphins and turtles are being washed ashore. But we are not sure if there is even a proper count,” he said
He said that officers attached to the Anawilundawa, Muthurajawela, Bellanwila-Attidiya and Hikkaduwa Wildlife Offices must report to the relevant Magistrate Courts of the dead marine animals found on the beaches of the Western, Southern and North Western Provinces. Post mortems must be conducted by the Wildlife veterinarians and body samples forwarded by the Courts to the Boralesgamuwa Veterinary Unit of the Department of Wildlife Conservation or to the Government Analyst for getting the expert opinion or further reports.
“However, it is known that the Boralesgamuwa Veterinary Unit does not have the necessary laboratory facilities. The veterinarians are examining the dead animals by only looking at them,” Prakash said.
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development to recognize the “Sri Lanka National Export
Development Plan – 2026–2030” as the official strategic framework for export development and promotion of exports in Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lanka Export Development Board, in collaboration with public and private sector stakeholders connected to the export sector, has formulated the National Export Development Plan 2026–2030 by obtaining technical assistance under the Policy-Based Lending Programme of the Asian Development Bank.
The aforementioned Plan provides a comprehensive strategic framework to guide and monitor Sri Lanka’s export development process, with the target of earning US$ 36 billion in foreign exchange through the export of goods and services by the year 2030
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Women and Child Affairs to accept the Global Charter for Children’s Care Reform for Sri Lanka.
Approval has been granted by the Cabinet of Ministers on several earlier occasions to amend the Consumer Affairs Authority Act No. 9 of 2003.
In accordance with the approval granted at the Cabinet
meeting held on 2023-05-02, the Legal Draftsman is currently in the process of preparing the relevant amended Bill, and the Legal Draftsman has informed that it would be appropriate to obtain policy approval from the present Cabinet of Ministers for that purpose.
Accordingly, taking into consideration the necessity of restructuring the Consumer Affairs Authority too, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative
Development to instruct the Legal Draftsman to expeditiously complete the preparation of the relevant Bill to enable the amendment of the Consumer Affairs Authority Act, No. 9 of 2003.
Trump says had ‘very good talks’ with Iran as Tehran reviews US proposal
Cabinet approves recognition of ‘Sri Lanka National Export Development Plan – 2026–2030’
Cabinet nod to accept the Global Charter for Children’s Care Reform for Sri Lanka
Cabinet grants policy approval to amend the Consumer Affairs Authority Act, No. 9 of 2003
Cabinet approval for Legal Draftsman to prepare a Bill to enable the amendment of Finance Business Act, No. 42 of 2011
M.S. Mahadiulwewa appointed act in the post of Director General of Commerce
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