News
Environment Minister fumes over haphazard dumping of clinical waste and used masks
By Ifham Nizam
All necessary guidelines have been issued regarding the disposal of used masks, and clinical waste, but many people disregard them and cause environmental pollution by discarding those materials haphazardly, says Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera.
“Guidelines issued by the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) should be followed, especially when masks are disposed of. It is best to cut off at least two of the ear straps. Otherwise, even animals, including birds, will be killed by getting entangled in them. Everything cannot be controlled by the government or by law,” Amaraweera said while donating a stock of food items to an elders’ home in Wickramasinghepura, Battaramulla, to mark the first anniversary of his inauguration as the Minister of Environment.
“I was also informed that a person or a group or an institution has dumped clinical waste on the Wellawatte beach polluting the beach as well as the surrounding ocean, he said, adding that it was the responsibility of the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) and the Ministry to take legal action against those responsible and to remove the clinical contaminants and to dispose of them.
Amaraweera said that he had instructed the Central Environmental Authority as well as the officials of his Ministry to conduct an immediate investigation. CEA and the MEPA have also launched separate probes, he said.
“I also instructed the officials of our Ministry to submit a report on the clinical waste dumped on the Wellawatte beach.
” If anyone releases such clinical contaminants as well as masks into the environment, he or she will be made to pay for it. The CEA has issued guidelines on the procedures to be followed for the disposal of clinical waste as well as the disposal of face masks. Everyone should act accordingly,” he added.
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation to provide the required provisions to purchase the green gram harvest in a competitive manner with the private sector by expanding the program initiated by the National Food Promotion Board, on the advice of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation,
Green gram has been cultivated in an area of about 16,500 hectares in the 2025 Yala Season and intermediate season and a harvest of about 14,600 metric tons of green gram is expected. Currently, green gram harvesting has started in the Hambantota district, and it has been reported that middlemen are buying the harvest for a low price of Rs. 450/- per kilogram.
Approval has been granted at the cabinet meeting held on 08-02-2021 to award 326 bridge construction contracts to the State Development and Construction Corporation for the construction of bridges across the island under the Rural Bridges Program.
The construction of a further 23 bridges has been assigned to the Road Development Authority.
It had been decided in the year 2022, to stop the construction of 184 bridges, where construction had not been initiated. The construction of 45 bridges from the 142 remaining bridges have already been completed.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Transport, Highways, and Urban
Development to recommence the construction of the remaining 74 bridges by the State Development and Construction Corporation and to complete the construction expeditiously.
Policy approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 16.06.2025 to repeal the Parliamentary Pension Act No. 1 of 1971 of the State Council.
In keeping with the promise given to all Sri Lankans who supported the vision of ‘A wealthy country – A beautiful life’ which appeared in the policy declaration of the Government, a draft bill has been prepared by the Legal Draftsmen for
repealing the Parliamentary Pension Act with the objective of cancelling pensions rights given to elected members of the Parliament and their spouses.
As the Attorney General has given clearance to the draft bill, the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted to the proposal submitted by the Minister of Justic and National Integration to publish the said draft bill in the government gazette notification and subsequently to be presented to the Parliament for its concurrence.
Vijayakanth Viyaskanth added to Sri Lanka squad for tri-series
Purchasing of 2025 green gram harvest
Cabinet approves the completion 74 bridges under the Rural Bridge Program
‘Heartbroken’ Alcaraz pulls out of Davis Cup Finals
Parliamentary Pension Act No. 1 of 1971 to be repelled
Cabinet nod to appoint Dr. (Eng.) K. Waligepolage as Director General of Irrigation
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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