News
Sleeping on plastic mats injurious to people’s health
by Ifham Nizam
Sleeping on plastic mats was injurious to people’s health, the Environment Ministry said yesterday, quoting experts who had pointed out that plastic mats heated up during sleep, producing carbon dioxide.
Plastic mats were a serious environmental problem and when they were discarded after use because they did not decompose even after 100 years, a Ministry official said.
Although it was necessary to ban plastic mats, it was not easy to find an alternative, Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera pointed out.
There was a problem in obtaining reeds for producing traditional mats, the Minister said.
“It has been revealed that many native reeds in our country have become extinct due to the excessive use of agrochemicals,” he added.
Local weavers use reeds such as thunhiriya and galleha to weave mats. They do not grow. Therefore, several industrialists have requested the Ministry to provide lands for the cultivation of these reeds.
“Two companies in our country sell one billion shopping bags a year, increasing environmental pollution. Ninety-eight percent of discarded shopping bags and lunch sheets are non-recyclable”. Therefore, steps will be taken to ban them”, he said.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished bys the Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs to extend Visas of those unable to leave Sri Lanka due to the
cancellation of flights to the Middle East from 28.02.2026 for another 14 days without any payments and re-extend the extended Visas for another 14 days without payments if the flights cancellations continue.
Taking into consideration the resolution furnished by the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Council, and Local Government, the Cabinet of Ministers has decided to appoint Sunil Galagama, a Special Grade Officer of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service, who is currently serving as an Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, as the District Secretary to Badulla Administrative District with immediate effect.
The Cabinet of Ministers, taking into consideration the resolution furnished by the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Council, and Local Government, have decided to appoint Anupama Mangala Wickramaarachchi, a special grade officer of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service, who is serving as the Additional Commissioner General of Agrarian Development of the Department of the Agrarian Development at present, as the District Secretary , Ampara Administrative district with immediate effect.
Cabinet approves 14 day Visa extension
Sunil Galagama appointed as District Secretary Badulla
Anupama Mangala Wickramaarachchi appointed District Secretary Ampara
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