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.
The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CEYPETCO) has announced a reduction in the prices of Petrol 92 and Petrol 95, effective from midnight today (30).
The price of Petrol 92 has been reduced by Rs. 15 per litre, from Rs. 414 to Rs. 399 while the price of Petrol 95 Octane has been reduced by Rs. 20 per litre, from Rs. 495 to Rs. 475
There will be no change in the prices of diesel, Super Diesel and kerosene under the latest revision.
The book “Rathuwewi Mihimadala”, written based on the life story of Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Leader of the Democratic Left Front, was launched on Friday [August 28] at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo, with the participation of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.
Speaking to the media afterwards about Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated:
“Vasudeva Nanayakkara is a prominent figure in Sri Lankan politics, particularly within the left-wing political movement. There were several influential figures within the left movement, and that left-wing influence also contributed to bringing the country to where it is today. Politically, there were areas where we agreed and areas where we did not. However, I have great respect for the contribution made by Vasudeva Nanayakkara to left-wing politics. When I entered Parliament in 2020, Vasudeva Nanayakkara was also in Parliament. We sat in the same row, and we spoke about many important as well as interesting moments in his political career. I believe some of these experiences have also been included in this book.”
The event was attended by members of the Maha Sangha, Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara, former President Maithripala Sirisena, former Speakers Karu Jayasuriya and Chamal Rajapaksa, as well as party members, family members and friends.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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