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Govt. contemplates action against 4,000 factories without environmental clearance

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By Ifham Nizam

More than 4,000 industries coming within the Kaduwela and Peliyagoda local government areas were functioning without the stipulated or recommended environmental standards and the endorsement of the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said yesterday.

Studies reveal that dumping of industrial and domestic waste into Kelani river has vastly reduced the fish population in the river.

Minister Amaraweera has instructed the CEA to take action against those factories, the minister said.

Amaraweera also said that he would discuss with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and take action to appoint an environmental task force with the assistance of 16 Ministry Secretaries.

It has been revealed at there are 7,000 factories located on the banks of the Kelani River from Kaduwela to Peliyagoda and only 3,000 factories have obtained environmental approvals.

Researchers and scientists have recently called for an immediate study on the wastewater released by these factories and stressed the Central Environmental Authority should support those endeavours.

It was also revealed that many households located on the banks of the Kelani River with no sanitation facilities dispose their human waste into the river further contaminating the water.

The Minister of Environment said that an immediate study would be conducted on the factories that fail to obtain the necessary environment reports.



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Amendment of the Inland Revenue Act No. 24 of 2017

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Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers has been granted at their meeting held on 19.05.2025 in order to introduce amendments to the Inland Revenue Act No. 24 of 2017 including the proposed tax revisions to enhance the tax structure paving way for state financial integrity based on revenue.

Accordingly, the revised draft bill has been prepared by the legal draftsman and clearance of the Attorney General has been received.

Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval for
the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Policy Planning and Economic Development to publish the aforementioned draft bill in the government gazette notification and subsequently, forward the same to the Parliament for its concurrence.

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Cabinet nod for “National Mineral Policy” – 2026

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The National Mineral Policy was prepared for the first time in the year 1999, and the aforementioned policy has been amended in 2023 to cover  matters such as preparing an updated data system related to mineral resources, adding value to the export of minerals, encouraging mineral-related industrialists, extracting mineral resources and managing the environment sustainably, and resolving the issues related to the ownership of the land arising in extracting mineral resources.

The revised National Mineral Policy has been reupdated in line with the manifesto “A Sustainable Resource Utilization – Generation of the Highest Benefit” under the policy statement of the current government” A Thriving Nation – A Beautiful Life.”

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution presented by the Minister of Industries and
Entrepreneurship to implement the so-formulated “National Mineral Policy—2026.”

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Twelve sentenced to death by Gampaha High Court

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The Gampaha High Court has sentenced Twelve (12) individuals to death over the 2022 murder of former Polonnaruwa District Member of Parliament Amarakeerthi Athukorala and his security officer.

 

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