News

Govt. proposal to ban chemical fertilisers: Environmentalists cautiously optimistic

Published

5 years ago

2021/05/3

By Ifham Nizam

Environmentalists while praising the Cabinet paper ‘Towards the Green Socio-Economic Pattern’, presented by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that if what was outlined in the paper was put into practice Sri Lanka would benefit tremendously.

Centre for Environmental Justice, Executive Director Hemanatha Withanage however cautioned that the Cabinet paper should not be a mere cosmetic exercise.

Withanage stressed that he did not expect the business sector to stop the use of agro-chemicals as they were more concerned about their bottom line.

Environmentalist Ven. Pahiyangala Anandasagara Thera said that the Cabinet Memorandum was an excellent one. “We have called on all governments since 2012 to give priority to organic farming in this country. But due to the provision of free chemical fertilisers, our generation of farmers is disappearing today. It is the generation of experienced farmers in our country who are dying of kidney disease.”

Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said that the Cabinet Memorandum had included 20 points regarding the sustainable environment and agricultural development in Sri Lanka.

“It proposes to implement organic farming instead of toxic agriculture which has led to an increase in the number of kidney and cancer patients here,” the Minister said.

He said that it was the intention of the President to implement a number of initiatives by the government for sustainable environmental development.

The government has allocated Rs. 1 billion from the last budget to provide the required organic fertilizer for organic farming. All the rivers, streams, wells and ponds in Sri Lanka today are polluted due to the widespread use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. “No matter how much water there is in our country, we cannot consume it without fear,” the minister said.

President Rajapaksa has instructed that this programme be implemented immediately. Therefore, in implementing the proposals in the Cabinet paper, decisions will be taken in consultation with all environmental organisations and knowledgeable experts.

The Minister said: “The President told us that no matter what anyone says, we will not import chemical fertilizers, again. This decision may be somewhat controversial. But in two or three years we will be able to get used to organic farming. I see the use of chemical fertilizers as an addiction.”

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Geneva takes up Sallay’s case and govt. ignores opportunity to answer accusations

Published

6 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

Suresh Sallay

The government has chosen not to respond to questions raised by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) regarding the detention of retired Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay in connection with the ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested the ex-official in late February this year. The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers have jointly raised the issue on 20 July, 2026.

Drawing attention of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to what they called alleged arbitrary detention of Sallay, former Director General of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), as well as allegations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment while in custody, resulting in the grave deterioration of his health, and imminent risks of retaliation through further torture and ill-treatment resulting in irreparable harm, should he be released from hospital and returned to custody, the UN sought the government explanation with a 60-day period.

The UN has stated: “This communication, and any response received from your Excellency’s Government, will be made public via the communications reporting website at the 60 days mark. Should your Excellency’s Government respond within 60 days, both the communication and the response, may be published before the 60 days mark. The communications and responses

will also be made available in the subsequent periodic report to be presented to the Human Rights Council.”

In the absence of the government’s response, the UN posted the letter, dated 20 July, 2026, addressed to President Dissanayake. The full letter can be accessed https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=31125

News

Section of wartime KKS High Security Zone vacated to facilitate economic development in the area

Published

6 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

The Army, last week, vacated an area, within the wartime high security zone in the Jaffna peninsula. The Defence Ministry said that an extent of 187.56 acres of land, belonging to the Cement Corporation in Kankesanthurai, Jaffna, has been released by the military. The released land, located in Grama Niladhari Division J/233, Kankesanthurai West, within the Valikamam North (Tellippalai) Divisional Secretariat Division, had been utilised by the Sri Lanka Army since the middle of 1997.

The release of the 187.56-acre extent forms part of the initiative to make State land available for the proposed investment zone in Kankesanthurai, thereby facilitating future investment and economic development in the area.

News

Lawyer lodges complaint against Govt. Printer, Media Ministry Secy.

Published

6 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

A complaint has been lodged with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau against the Government Printer and the Secretary to the Ministry of Media regarding the online release of falsified documents bearing a forged Speaker’s certificate.

Attorney-at-Law Aruna Laksiri has lodged a complaint with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau requesting legal action against the Government Printer of the Department of Government Printing (No. 118, Dr. Danister de Silva Mawatha, Colombo 08), Prasanna Jayaratne, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media (Asidisi Medura, 163, Kirulapone Mawatha, Polhengoda, Colombo 05), Dr. Anil Jasinghe.

The complaint alleges the commission of offences by forging and uploading falsified documents online using a forged Speaker’s certification, failure to perform statutory duties, and misappropriation of public property.

The complaint states that a copy of the English translation of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was downloaded and printed from the official website of the Government Printing Department (www.documents.gov.lk), which operates under the Ministry of Mass Media. On its outer cover and on page 1, the text “certified on 25th of September, 2026” is inscribed inside brackets.

The complaint pointed out that the Speaker has certified an English translation. Under Articles 23, 79, 83, and 80 of the Constitution, Parliament enacts laws and the Speaker certifies bills strictly in the Sinhala and Tamil languages; under the Constitution, therefore the Speaker cannot apply such certification to an English translation.